Raising Cain
by DarkAntidote
Summary: "I went the wrong way." He said slowly. I laughed, "You got lost in a tower! There's only one staircase!" "Hush." An original Skulduggery Pleasant story. Contains spoilers. If you haven't read up to Kingdom of the Wicked I suggest you don't read. Enjoy 3 "Says the skeleton who was attracted to doughnuts." "Watch it Cain."
1. Chapter 1

-Valkyrie POV-

It was a rather pleasant night. Clear black skies, a light fog hanging over the wetness and city lights blinking through it. A shimmering darkness Skulduggery had said to me before he left.

Yes. He left me with this lunatic which has made her now hang from a tower.

It seems like Scapegrace doesn't it? Nah. This guys just a tad more stupid, although he's an alright fighter.

And before you think I was pushed, I decided to hang from the tower to hide from him. He's just sitting there now, sulking because he can't find me on the flat tower top.  
I was pretty sure he didn't even know there's a bloody edge you can stand on a metre on the side. Or that there's even an edge.  
Although...It was more likely he didn't know you can jump off them...

Yeh. That one sounds better.

So I'm just hanging there, grimacing with my now numb fingers wondering where the hell Skulduggery was. What did he say?  
He was going to the shop...  
No no.  
He was going to buy something. Or get something.  
A big butterfly net to trap the guy?

I snorted with laughter when I remembered when Skulduggery had asked if I had one last year with the fat butterfly man.  
Right. Oh no.  
"Who's there?" The very evil villain called, now standing.  
Bloody hell. That man.

Now I'm pretty sure Skulduggery said he needed to buy some doughnuts...  
I stopped trying to remember.

What was this guys name anyway?  
Um.  
Tyson that's it.  
Unless you go by last name, which is Yanner.  
I have no idea why, but you know. Yanner is the new cool. I don't think you can see but I did that thing with my fingers where you click and...Never mind.

Yanner was coming closer now, I wasn't enjoying this.  
I could hear his boots clomping to the edge.  
"Are you down there Cain girl?"  
Oh dammit.  
He came to the edge and kneeled down, grinning at me.

If this were Scapegrace I wouldn't worry at all. But while this guy is dumb as...I won't say that word.  
He's a pretty good fighter, plus can be...evil at times.  
"How long have you been down there, pretty?"  
Oh for god sakes.  
"You know, when you started crying because I vanished into thick air."  
"I was not crying!" He said defiantly.  
"And the term is thin, by the way." I tried to distract him.  
"I'm pretty sure it was thick."  
"It's probably corresponding to your head."  
"My head isn't thick. I don't even have thick hair."

I sighed. "It's meant by brain."  
"Oh."  
"You still 'don't get it do you?"  
"Nope."  
"It means your dumb."  
"Right." He nodded to himself before snarling. "Hey!"

I then swung myself up, counter clock wise and smashed my boots into his chest, he flung back and I straightened, "Yeh g'day mate."  
I spent a month in Australia for a case.  
I am not saying g'day regularly.  
Nope, doesn't sound cool to me.  
My eyes dated from side to side.

Stop judging me.

Yanner stumbled and fell on his back. I was about to move up to him when his image flickered, I hesitated.  
And suddenly he was right in front of me.  
Yeh. I didn't know he could do that. Bloody Adepts.

I got a good look at him in the second we stood looking at each other.

Brown, curly hair. Some freckles I may of mistaken for blemishes 12-13 year olds start to get. He was white skinned. (Not being racist, just explaining XD)  
Not exactly tanned, he was a tad pale.  
He was tall. I was a tad taller though.  
He was built like a runner, more of a soccer player I guess. His eyes were a bored blue. If that makes sense.  
Yanner wore a simple black suit like Sanguine. This made me groan inwardly.  
His boots were classy. Like Skulduggery's.

I ducked hard over a right hook, nearly falling, dodging back when his boot came in. I hit a steeple wall and tumbled, rolling out of the way of stomp and came up fast, striking out a kick which got his knee. He howled and staggered but didn't fall.

And of course. Out of all weapons he could have he has a bloody huge machine gun with somehow a large silencer on it.  
Great, Yeh. Woo. The realism here. -claps-

Okay. Where the hell is Skulduggery.

Anyway.

Yanner just bloody casually whipped out this massive machine gun. I'm not even going to bother asking where...how...why...Nope. Just...Just no.

No.

He grins at my face and pulls the trigger. I dive out of the pellets of bullets, peppering the stone roof and making small holes.  
Yanner turns quickly to face me. I jump high, using the air to help me, to get over the line of gun fire.

I feel a large amount of air pressed on my palm and instead of using it or my decent I slam it down on his gun, with bends and cracks, sparks fly everywhere. He yelps and falls back, tripping up. I hit the ground hard and roll. Trying to get up as fast as possible. I stagger but manage.

He pulls out a hand gun.

"Oh yeah. Sure." I mutter and try to get close enough to whack it out since I can't use air anymore because there's some sort of Adept-Hates-Elemental-Air-Magic shield around it.  
Racist. I think.  
Magist? I dunno.

Yanner is grinning like a little kid on this amazing ride, which to us is this puny piece of shit.  
Woops. Did I say that out loud?  
Sorry.

He fires and fires, I finally get close enough and smash an elbow in his face. He staggers and grunts. I knee him down there. Yeh you guys know what I'm talking about. Yeh...

His thigh.

Yanner grunts, I chop at his wrist, grabbing hold and twisting my body to slam my back into his chest. His screeches as his wrist is twisted and I yank to gun from him.  
I duck under a punch and roll to the side to avoid a kick in the ribs.

Okay, he's getting angry and I don't really want to see what else he can just whip out randomly.  
Unless its a magic pack of kittens.  
That'd be cute.  
Crap. Focus Val. He's got a-

I scream and fall on my back. Clutching my shoulder.

-Gun. I think weakly.

I slam my foot down again and again on the concrete in pain. Yanner stalks up.  
"I missed your heart because I know what will happen when you die." I think he was trying to sound scary, I dunno.  
"Rightio." I groaned.  
"Plus. Then I wouldn't get to bargain you for what Pleasant has."  
"Heh?"  
"Cain, Cain, Cain. Didn't you ever wounder where your partner got off to?"  
"Um. Doughnuts?"

He laughed.  
Then a shackled skeleton appeared in a blue suit, black shoes and a matching hat. Yes of course. I thought dryly. Trust him to get himself captured before we even meet the damn guy.  
Wait...  
Isn't that usually me?  
I ponder this for a moment.  
Nah.

Skulduggery walks up and looks at me.  
"Hi."  
"G'day- Um. Hi."  
He tilts his head.

I know he's grinning at me.  
Bastard.

Yanner yells.  
"You're meant to be looking at me!"  
"Right sorry. I forgot." I say and look at him. Trying to ignore the damn bullet in my left shoulder.  
Skulduggery shrugs and does the same.

"Pleasant. If you don't give me the uh. The...The um."  
He pauses for a while.  
A while more.  
"The _thing_ I'll kill Cain in front of you." He smiled, rather pleased with himself.

"But, in doing so. You won't actually kill her. And she'll possibly kill both of us in the process. Plus that just contradicts what you said to her earlier." Skulduggery pointed out.  
Realising this, Yanner sagged.  
"Um."  
"And there are many _things _by the way. Please point out which one you mean."  
"The one I need. You know, that thing."  
"Ah, the thing?"  
"No no. That other thing."  
"Oh. That thing right."  
"No."  
"What?"

I looked at them, confused as hell.  
Yanner, realising he was being distracted, glared at us.  
"Fine. I'll shoot her again if you don't give me it."  
"Go ahead."  
My head perks up.  
Yanner and I both say at the same time, "Heh?!"

"I'd do it myself. I've wanted to for a while. She can just be the most annoying brat-"  
"Hush Pleasant!"  
"Why certainly Yanner, since we're on a last name basis."

Yanner turned red with frustration.  
"Now you." He pointed a finger at me.  
"G'day."  
He then started blabbering on about something which I didn't hear since I was distracted by Skulduggery casually taking the shackles off and stuffing them in his pocket before crossing his arms.  
Yanner followed my gaze and roared in rage.

"You weren't meant to tell him Valkyrie." He muttered, punching the charging lunatic in the face, who proceeded to fall unconscious.  
"I didn't tell him."  
"No, but your eyes told him."  
"Says the guy who started whistling Me and Mrs Jones casually."  
"That, was for distraction purposes."  
"Right."  
"So he wouldn't shoot you."  
"I doubt that."

He walked up and looked down at me. "You believed what I said?"  
"No. But he has to caps left so. He can't shoot me."  
"Ah."  
"Ah indeed."

Skulduggery stared down at me.  
"Do you need a hand?"  
"Nah. I'll just manage to get up and walk off with a bullet in my shoulder. Thanks for the offer though."  
Chuckling, he helped me up, he popped my arm around his neck as he supported my weight to limp back to the car.

"How did you manage to get captured by the way?"  
He went silent.  
I looked at him.  
"Well you see, there were these doughnuts..."  
"You know you can't eat right?"  
"Yes Valkyrie. I think I would know that by now after 400 plus years of being a skeleton."  
"Just making sure."

We reached the car.

"You forgot to get Yanner." I said.  
"Bloody hell." He muttered and turned back around.  
"Don't leave me here!" I protested.  
"Your fine."  
"Right. A girl that is shot in the shoulder and can barely walk on her own in an alley at night. Makes sense."  
"I'll be really quick.

An hour later.

"I'll be really quick." I said in a high pitch voice as he walked back with Yanner over his shoulder.  
"On the contrary I don't sound like that. Plus I went the wrong way." He said slowly.  
"You got lost?"  
"No." He said defensively.  
I cracked up laughing, "You got lost in a tower? There's only one staircase!"  
"Says the girl who's scared of being left alone in the dark."  
"Hush."  
"Without me."  
"Watch it."

He placed Yanner in the back of the car and went around to get in the drivers seat. I plonked down in the passenger seat and clicked on my seat belt.

"Just admit you can't be a few seconds without a handsome, well dressed, smart skeleton by your side."  
"It was actually an hour."

"Shut it Cain."

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed chapter one!_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Woah.  
Five reviews. Three favs. Four follows.  
ALREADY?  
Didn't think it was that good! Thanks so much guys! 3**_

* * *

_I was running. A huge, black fire consumed the forest in which I had to turn into, running away from the new lunatic that was now chasing me.  
Where was Skulduggery?  
I have no bloody idea.  
You're thinking its Yanner? Nah.  
This guys worse._

_His name is Ray Tame.  
A fully fledged Necromancer.  
Yayyyyy._

_The idiot led me into a forest and thought it was funny to set it on fire.  
Great job, idiot._

_I could hear him behind me. God he was quick.  
Cold, dead smoke washed in my lungs and I stumbled, choking. Tears streamed down my face from the smoke, my eyes stung. It was hard to see._

_Eventually I could only see shapes and blurs, certain bright colours and the shadows on the ground, the one following me seemed to be really dark and flickered around my feet. Tangling them, they turned into onyx coloured snakes, wrapping around my ankles and pulling, I fell and hit the ground hard._

_The snakes then burst into pretty black butterfly's with wisps of darkness and black sparks coming off it, fluttering away.  
That didn't seem right.  
My head hurt.  
I had a burning hot sweat on my body.  
Tame loomed over me smiling and then wings curled out from his back, stretched wide and high. His face glitches and then was a dragon..._

_Wait what?_

_He breathed fire and a deep roar filled the forest._

_His hands turned into dragon paws, which rose and smashed down on my face-_

- I sat up fast, crying out. A hot and cold sweat all over.

I breathed fast and shallow, looking around the room. I was at Skulduggery's house. I saw him appear at the door.  
"You alright?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.  
I looked around, getting my baring's. The thin, velvety sheets now off my body. The clock saying it was 4 AM.  
The curtains gently moving with the cold breeze from the open window.

I could still feel the smoke in my lungs, my eyes were stinging, I could feel slight tears pricking my eyes, one was already slowly walking down my cheek. Confusion clotted up my train of thought and webs of the dream were hanging strong and bright in the corners of my mind.

In my still racing fear, confusion and pure terror I put my head in my hands. I could feel my heart still pumping way too fast to be normal.  
Hearing Skulduggery walk over gave me a sense of relief, knowing I was alive, I wasn't there anymore.

He sat next to me, his arm went around my shoulders and brought me closer, gently running his fingers through my hair in an attempt to calm me. I melted into his embrace and sighed, long and deep.  
Something wasn't right. I could still taste the smoke, my own blood in my mouth. I could smell it, it was still in my chest, my lungs.

I lurched away, in a violent coughing fit, ears ringing and eyes stinging. It was hard to breath and by moving too fast, pain shot up my arm to my shoulder. But I was busy coughing to cry out, let alone be able to breath.

I felt Skulduggery's hand on my shoulder, real concern in his voice now. "Valkyrie."  
"Valkyrie!"  
I choked up as the coughing went by, trying to breath and cry and talk all at once.

His hand ran up and down my back in a way to soothe and calm me.  
After a minute or so of getting my breath back, I wiped away the tears and fell into him.  
"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"Don't...Know." I managed.  
And then I felt something warm in my mouth, tasting of metallic, it slipped out the corner of my mouth and ran down my chin and my vision started to faze in and out.  
I could tell he noticed, since he picked me up and quickly went down the stairs, outside into the Bentley. I was loosing consciousness.

"I'm fine." I whispered, mainly to myself as my heart went crazy.  
I saw the blinking of road lights as we sped somewhere. To the Sanctuary I think.

And the next thing I knew he was supporting me into the Sanctuary. Gravity seemed to tip and I slipped from his grip, falling. My eyes were too heavy. I couldn't open them, my limbs were like burning hot and cold jelly.  
I felt myself being picked up. I tried to open my eyes, managing a slit open.

I saw people flattening themselves to walls in order to let him pass, worry etched their features. Why?  
I'm fine.

I don't know why but a sudden pure fear struck me hard, I gripped his coat in order to know he was there, to stay next to him.  
I think we were nearly there, but by no my eyes were too heavy to open.  
Then the sudden pain kicked it. Racing around my veins, in my bloodstream, through my bones, wrapping around them, squeezing. My back arched. My grip tightened, my throat was being constricted so only a small, choked cry escaped.

I was placed on a bed. It felt too hot, it burned my skin.  
When I tried to move pain shredded my insides and the bed turned icy cold.

I heard words. Fragments of a conversation.

"No no. Not surging." A scratchy, high voice.  
"Then what?" Skulduggery's voice.  
"I don't know."  
I think I heard the hammer of a gun being clicked back.  
"Fix her, Nye."  
"I don't know what you expect me to do."

_I can't even fight. All I have is a penchant for raising cain._

My own voice filled my head, I was younger that time and suddenly the pain receded. The smoke cleared. My thoughts un ravelled and I felt fine...

My eyes flicked open to see Skulduggery aiming his gun at Nye who seemed bored by the whole thing.  
I sat up and he looked at me, his gun wavered.  
"Valkyrie?"

"That's the only word you've been saying to me throughout this whole thing." I muttered.  
I could sense his confusion. "I'm pretty sure you were dying in pain just a moment ago."  
"It kind of left..."  
"Left?"  
"Subsided. Diminished. Vamoose Vanished. Yes left."

Nye chortled to himself and walked away.

"Then what..." He faltered.  
"I have no idea..."  
Skulduggery looked out the black window in thought an then went stiff.  
"Everyone, once in their life, has a dream of the future. Which result in what just happened to you depending on the type of dream. It usually happens to seven year olds." He trailed off and then looked at me as my heart dropped into cold water.

"Then I just dreamt my own death."

* * *

**_Sorry, its short. D:_**

**_But I needed to get that grim chapter out of the way so you guys can enjoy more comedy in the next few. XD_**

**_Thanks so much for the support guys!_**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Well. I definitely feel good. This stories going great! XD**_

_**Thanks everyone.**_

_**Oh and I should probably mention Valkyrie's 18 in this, turning 19 at some point in the story.**_

* * *

"I wish you were the best. The best I ever had. I wished that the good over weighed the bad, cause this isn't over until you tell me its over. These battle scars-"  
"Valkyrie. I'm going to have to stop you right there." Skulduggery said, muting the radio.  
"Aw. Spoil sport."

A silence.

"Cause you set me on fire-"  
"I definitely will set you on fire if you don't shut up." He growled.  
"Jeez. Someone has their...Um. Tie in a twist."  
"You seem awfully calm about you dreaming your own death."  
"Psh. I've had heaps of things telling me I'm going to die. It never happens. I'm too good for them."

"Valkyrie-"  
"Yes Skulduggery?"  
"Can you take anything seriously?"  
"No, not really."  
"Ok, just making sure."

We had been in the Bentley driving into the city for a while, trying to find the right café which Ghastly and Erskine were at.

"I think you're lost." I raised an eyebrow and looked at the Café which we just passed.  
"Don't start this again." He groaned.  
"You passed the Café."  
"Did I?"  
"Yes."

He turned the car swiftly and sped back the way we came.  
"There." I pointed and saw Ghastly and Erskine sat in a seat by the window. We parked and got out.  
Skulduggery came up next to me. "Right, if anyone asks. We're fashionably late because my suit was dirty and you couldn't find your jacket."  
"Seems legit."  
"It is."

The bell tinkled as we entered the café. A cute boy was at the counter, leaning on it, looking rather bored. He flashed a white toothed grin at me.  
Skulduggery noticed and pushed me forward, "I am your guardian and I restrict you from going up to a random boy."  
"Oh for-"  
"Don't you dare use that language in front of my delicate ears."  
"You don't have ears."  
"That's beside the point."  
"Fine. Oh for peat sake. Happy?"

We sat down and Erskine looked up, "There's a cute boy eyeing you down Valkyrie." He winked and Ghastly chuckled.  
"No and no. She will not." Skulduggery said sternly.  
Everyone went silent.

"No need to be silent." He muttered.  
"Well. I'll get us all coffee's. Except the sad, lonely skeleton here."  
"Hey-" But I was already up and walking to the cute boy.  
He grinned at me as I came over and rested my arms on the counter. "Hey."  
"Hey hun. You live round here?" His voice was soft and sweet, hot like burning coals, broad and direct.  
"Nah. I'm out of the city." A smile tipped my lips up.  
"That's a shame." He replied. "I'm Sam, you?"  
"Val- Stephanie."  
"That. Is a pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Not too bad yourself." I winked.  
I turned around and saw the guys chatting, not watching me. They seemed to be focused on something outside. I peered through the window and saw a black sedan. Shrugging to myself I turned back.  
"So, Steph. How bout you give me your number and we can chat over some coffee?" Sam smirked. His orange hair and blue eyes were addicting to look at. With splashed freckles on his face and an English and Australian accent.

-General POV-

Skulduggery turned back around to look at Valkyrie and tensed when she a man stand next to her, he saw the flash of metal and then the point of a gun poking out of his coat.  
"Skulduggery. I think I've seen this sedan before." Ghastly said.  
"I think I know why."  
Erskine and Ghastly bot turned to look where he was.  
"She can't be shot, she has protective clothing, doesn't she?" Erskine asked.  
"That's no ordinary gun." Skulduggery replied getting up quickly and walking over.

"Stephanie, do you know this man?" The boy at the counter asked doubtfully.  
The man gave a nudge at her with the gun.  
"Yes." She choked out.  
"We have to go." The man then said and proceeded to take hold of her arm and pull her away.

Her eyes met Skulduggery's. Instead of fear they showed boredom.  
She mouthed, wait there.

-Valkyrie's POV-

The man, who thought he was pretty boss led me out of the café.

As soon as we were out of site from civilians I smashed my free elbow into his face and pushed at the air, he flung back into a brick wall.  
I thought he'd collapse, but he just brushed himself off.  
Oh goody.

He snarled and ran at me, I dodged out of the way too late and he clipped my shoulder, I twisted out of the way of a punch but was stumbling too much and my head snapped back.

I tasted blood and light filled my sight. I staggered into the wall, ducking just in time from a violent kick.  
Diving out of the way from another kick, I rolled and came up. Hurling fire at him. Which had no effect.  
Of course not...

Shadows flared up in my hands and he hesitated. I smiled.  
Here we go.  
I whipped out a fiery, sharp tendril of shadow which struck him in the side. He howled and fell against the wall, kicking away at the last moment since it was sent to a burning pile of dust from another blast of shadows.

Yeh. He looked angry.

He was on me fast, I tried to send a wave of shadow out but he swatted by hand away and wretched the ring off.  
Unfair.  
Grabbing me by the lapels of my jacket he threw me to the side. I could see the window of the café, just. Tried to get up before he came at me again. Spinning on my heels I kicked up, catching him under the chin. He grunted,

Pfft. This guy is using HACKS.

Growling, he grabbed me again and threw me through the shop window. Hit a table and flipped over it.  
Silence.  
I saw Skulduggery and that looking at me.  
I looked back.

"It didn't quite go to plan." I managed a smirk before big, bad man stormed in after me.  
Mortals started to scream and ran out the back door of the café.  
I saw my reflection in a large shard of glass, I had blood running down the side of my face from my forehead. I saw shards of glass in my hair.

Skulduggery tried to run over before he did bu was too slow.  
Big bad man picked me up once again and slammed me on a table, whipping out a big ass knife.

Everyone froze.

He lifted his hand.

And brought it down.

I turned my head away and shut my eyes tight.

* * *

**_MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA_**

**_I'm so mean._**

**_That's payback to he people who put cliff hangers up right when my face is pressed against the screen in anticipation. :P_**

**_Hope you enjoyed it._**

**_Poop. Its short :O  
I will fix that in the next chapter. ;D_**


	4. Chapter 4

_**I'm not sure how to reply to the marshmellow chick XD**_

_**I update everyday. Come on! :P  
A lot of people update once a week. So.  
Rant at them instead XD**_

_**Anyway. Here we go.**_

* * *

(Just to piss you off even more) MUAHAHAH

-Somewhere nearby-

"Ana. I swear I'm going to slap you if you don't hurry up." A girl with short, auburn hair and un natural amber eyes said to another girl with long, flowing, silver/white hair and grey, stormy eyes.

"I think we are very different with how we see the word "hurry up" since I'm in front of you." Ana replied.  
"Yeh well. You're going too fast is what I meant." The auburn haired girl muttered, catching up.  
"If we're going to stop Pammy then-"  
"His name isn't Pammy for gods sake Ana."  
"Well. I don't like using his full name."  
"Bad luck."

"Pamula Kequek." Ana mumbled and pulled her long, black coat tighter around her as they hurried along the side walk.  
"Better."  
"Jasmine. I still don't know why we have to do this."  
"Sam is in danger."  
"I don't think Kequek is there for a mortal."  
"I don't care."

They came around the corner just as Pamula picked up a girl and threw her through the window.  
"Kay. Not looking for Sam." Jasmine said and they both walked away.

* * *

The knife came down and I tuned my head. Trying to get away.

A gun shot and a searing pain in my shoulder, a bit too close to my neck for liking and suddenly big bad man was on the ground.  
I heard someone screaming.  
I think it was me.

My vision was blurry but I saw the big ass knife in my shoulder, just outside my important neck parts.  
If that makes sense.  
Blood ran through my fingers when I placed my hand as far on it as I could without touching the knife.  
I got dizzy and heard voices.

"..Call someone."  
"I don't bloody know!"  
"Wont make it...Sanctuary...too far."

Everyone went in and out. I put myself being picked up and let out a cry as the knife shifted slightly. The arms holding me tensed and gently, carefully placed me up on the counter.

"You should have let me come with you." Came Skulduggery's voice.  
I tried to replied but blood gurgled in my mouth and dribbled down my chin.

"...Take...out."  
"What?"  
"Have too."  
"That...urt."  
"Save her."

Then I felt the dagger being gripped.  
"This'll hurt a tad."  
I tensed and gritted my teeth but couldn't stop the sharp, short scream when the magic dagger scraped back up my bones.

"Sorry." Came a mumble.  
I opened my eyes again, everything was so blurry. But it was getting better.  
Wait. It was healing.  
What?

_Let me through. You should be grateful. I just saved your life._

_No. Thanks, but I'm not letting you control me._

_A laugh/ I'll get you soon Valkyrie.  
And when I do. You won't be alive enough to stop me._

I blinked, feeling fine.  
I sat up, looking at the shocked looks the guys gave me.

"We still getting that coffee?"

* * *

On the way back to Skulduggery's house. He was way too silent.

"Don't make me sing again." I warned.

He still said nothing.

"I had a heart then. But the queen has been over thrown."  
"And I'm not sleeping now. The dark is too hard to beet."  
"And...Um."  
"The strength I need to push me."  
"Bal bla bla."  
"The show the lights that stop me. Turn to stone. Shining when I'm alive."

"Okay OKAY. Stop." Came his annoyed voice.  
"Better."  
"I'm only quiet because you nearly died."  
"That's touching, really. But I'm fine."  
"You weren't a moment ago."  
"Yeah, you're probably right. I was singing an Ellie Goulding song. No way can I have her voice.

He sighed.  
"Cheer up." I added.  
"No."  
"...Fine."

I popped in earphones and sung in my head.

"Fine!" I heard his voice again.  
Grinning, I turned it off and turned to him.  
"I hope you know I'm not afraid of post-impending death or normal impending death."  
"I've gathered that much myself thanks."  
"Just making sure."

"You should be concerned of the effect it has on others."  
"I would. But then again."  
"I had a heat then. But the queen has overthrown-"  
"Shut it, Cain."  
"Sir yes sir, Pleasant."

He looked at me.  
I looked back.

And then he randomly pulled over, unbuckled his seat belt.  
"Um, what are you-"  
And before I could register anything, his façade was up and was kissing me.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.

If was a few seconds later I realised I was kissing him back, my arms already looped around his neck, his around my waist.  
I was enjoying it...

-Vakyrie's thoughts during kissy scene-

What's he doing.

We're pulling over dumbass.

Yes but. Why?

Because- He unbuckled his seatbet.

I see that. Again. Why?

Um, maybe because-

Um.

Er.

Right. Okay. Fair enough we're kissing.

We?

Oh. I'm kissing him back.

You bloody damn well are!

I could get used to this.

...

What?

I'm outa here.

Bye?

-End of thoughts-

Skulduggery pulled away, his façade off in a flash.

Silence.

"Um. Sorry."  
"Mr Pleasant, if I do say so myself you just kissed me."  
"Yes. Yes I did."  
"Then why the fuck did you stop?"  
"Language." He growled but we ended up kissing again.

* * *

**_I did not plan this through my head._**

**_It went off track from the comedy, normal Skulduggery Pleasantness._**

**_Um._**

**_I'll try and steer it back._**

**_Hope you enjoyed it..._**

"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Right. We went a bit off track and chapters went short.**_

_**BACK ON TRACK!**_

_**XD**_

* * *

A week had passed.

We got news on Yanner escaping...somehow.  
And we had to go find him.  
Yay.

There had been reports of him acting like a ninja in the streets of Haggard.  
Of course he was there of all places...

Skulduggery and I were at Gordon's Mansion about to head off and search the area when he suddenly spoke up, "What I did after the café incident was a mistake."  
I turned to look at him my eyebrow raised. "Hardly."  
His head tilted, "Explain."  
"Well. We obviously both have feelings for each other. Otherwise I would have kicked up and ran out of the car...knowing me."  
"While you make a good point-"  
"I don't care that you're a skeleton."  
"I wasn't going to say that."  
I went silent.  
"While you make a good point my suit is far too precise for you to touch."

Glaring at him I turned and continued trying to find my jacket.  
"I'm just saying I don't think we can uphold a very strong relationship..." He tried.  
"I think you need to shut up."  
"And I think you need to grow up and accept the facts."  
I whirled and snarled at him. "When has that ever mattered to you?"

I stormed out, forgetting about my jacket.

A while later he came back down, looking un easy.  
I stood in the kitchen watching him with a look that could kill. He didn't notice me though.

He was holding my jacket in his hands. He placed it over the sofa.  
"I found your jacket?" He said attentively then looked around and saw me, my hands resting, spaced out on the counter top. Strands of hair in my face with a glare.

"If that was a mistake. Why did you do it?" I eventually said. My voice even.  
Skulduggery's head tilted, deep in thought. I don't think he knew.  
"Well how do you know it was a mistake?"  
"I'm too old for you."  
"Already noted."  
"I'm far too sophisticated for you."  
"Noted as well."  
"I wear impeccable suits."  
"I gathered that years ago."  
"I'm a skeleton."  
"I told you that upstairs."  
"You're 18."  
"Turning 19, in what? Two days, three?"  
"I'm 400."  
"And?"

He sighed.  
I sighed.  
"You're just taking the piss out of me now."  
"Yes, yes I am."  
"But I'm not ready for this."  
"If you think that then why, Mr Pleasant, did you kiss me?"

He looked down, his hands in his pockets.  
"Nothing?" I said.  
He still said nothing.  
"We have a lunatic to look for." I then said, walking past him and grabbing my coat on the way out.  
He slowly followed.

* * *

We were in the car, patrolling around Haggard when he finally decided to talk again.  
"I'm sorry if I hurt you."  
"Is that what this is about?" I asked suddenly after, turning to him.  
He changed gears, "What do you mean?"  
"You never hurt me. I'm annoyed that you mainly find the reason between us is the age. You still treat me like the 12 year old you saved that night in Haggard."  
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, turned a corner and gunned the engine through the straight.  
"That's because I'm not ready to see you as an adult."  
"And why is that?"  
"For one, you remember the vision into the future we had. You looked 19 or 20 in it."  
"Even you said we can change that."  
"And because you, Miss Cain, are like a daughter to me. Not many fathers like t see their children grow up in violence quickly and then have a relationship with them."

I sat back in my seat, feeling a stress headache coming on. It started to rain heavily outside the car. We turned a sharp corner.  
"And I still fall back on the promise you made me all those years ago when we were in the stadium. Hoping you might still find support in that to trust me with my decisions and my mistakes."

We turned another corner and I suddenly realized how hard it must be for him. It'd be like watching my sister grow up into the world of magic. A small smile formed on my lips. I turned. "Skulduggery."  
He turned to me.

And then he saw Yanner with a gun.

Light filled the gun just as he screamed my name and tried to push me away, letting go of the steering wheel and crashing head long into a pole, before rolling down a small hill.

There were screams.

Obviously mine.

And then.

Silence.

Everything had stopped. Movement was a stand still.

I smelt smoke and burning things. I tasted blood. I heard crackling fire and ringing in my ears.

I felt shrapnel digging into my skin.

My skin felt burning hot but I knew it wasn't on fire.

The fire was slowly rising up around me.

I then felt myself. The pain. The noise.

Everything came rushing in

I had pain everywhere. I was in a strange position. I couldn't open my eyes.  
Why didn't I put my jacket on?

I tasted and felt warm blood running down parts of my body. It covered the side of my face.

Things digs into my skin, deep cuts and grazes. Bruises and breaks. Fractures and gashes.

I then heard the faint call from somewhere of my name. A velvet voice.

But it just soothed me into a nice, fitful, long and black sleep.

Something snapped in my mind.

And sense stated to come back to me.

Why wasn't Darquesse saving me? I was just about to slip into my own death.

I could almost hear her cold laugh inside me. I wasn't yet time.

I heard footsteps and gun shots.

I managed to crack open my eyes a bit, everything was so bright, spinning and blurry and I could see red. I almost shut then again tight if it weren't for the skeleton running over to me. Saying my name, trying to get a grip of me and carry me out of the burning car.

I think it was going to explode soon...Isn't that was burning cars do?

A scream ripped out of my core when he tried to pull me out, a sharp bit of glass raking down my back as he pulled.

He quickly got me out after that but didn't let me lie down.

"We need to get you somewhere safe, okay?"

Why can' I just lay down on this cool, green grass here? We're on the edge of a creek.

Oh right. Car exploding.

We started to run as far away from the car.

Everything was turning into shapes and blurs. Dark and bright colours.

I closed my eyes.

And tried to remember what I promised him.

Until the end?

Until the end for both of us. I had to hold on.

But I felt things slipping away from my comprehension.

Slowly I went limp, unable to keep strength in my limbs.

"Come on Val, hold on. Hold on." Came Skulduggery's urgent voice as we ran.

Then I was being laid down. Nice, cool, damp grass.

"Don' die on me now, not yet. You were going to say something to me, remember? Remember?"  
I tried to talk but only managed a sight groan.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Where was Yanner?

A gun shot sounded in the distance.

Speak of the devil.

"We should be fine here, okay?"

I opened my eyes again and looked at him, I wanted to reach out and hold him for comfort but found I couldn't. My bones were either way too sore or broken.

His hand went to my cheek and rubbed his thumb in a soothing way, his glove getting drenched in blood.

My eyes started to feel heavy and I thought I could see a big bright star in front of my eyes.

It was getting too bright.

My body fell limp again, and then I had to close my eyes against the brightness an heaved out a long sigh.

The last thing I heard was the same velvet voice screeching out my name again and again.

* * *

I blinked.

"You said my name. What were you going to say?" Skulduggery said.

I was still in the car. Sweat lacerated my skin.

"What the hell..."

He parked and looked at me, concerned.  
"What's wrong?"  
"We crashed and I died. Why...what. HUH?" Frustration over took my will power to understand anything anymore.

Skulduggery looked at me, I looked at him.  
"An intense daydream?" I tried to joke.

"Doubtful. That bullet that Yanner got you in the shoulder with, is that when all these near death experiences started?"  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
"Okay. We need to find Yanner."

He turned to put the car back in gear but my hand went to his arm, he froze and looked at me. I looked out the window.  
"How do I know what's real and what's not?"  
"I. I don't think you do."  
I looked at him.  
He was already looking at me.

"You were going to say something to me." He said.  
"Yes. I was."  
"What was that?"

"I don't understand how could have put up with me all these years and still make the same promise to me I promised you."

"Simple. I knew it was the same for you."

* * *

**_Dun dunn._**


	6. Chapter 6

-With Skulduggery-

He had been sitting, meditating when the familiar cry came from upstairs.

He got up and slowly headed up, having a pretty good idea as to what was wrong.

Him and Valkyrie had been trying to track down Yanner and look for something to stop the Near-Death Experiences. If tat's what you want to call them.

Skulduggery slowly opened the door to her room in his house, the blankets were practical all off, sweat clearly visible, clenched and tensed muscles, straining, fluttering eyelids and the occasional writhing. He went over to wake her up.

* * *

-Valkyrie POV-

It was dark and raining heavily. I was running once again, I had no idea where I was this time. I could hardly see a metre in front of me. The darkness was too thick, the rain cascading from the hanging roof of black above my head.

I hardly knew why I was even running or what I was running from at the very least. The answer was deep in the back of my mind, but fear and pure terror covered it up. My body was screaming to run, so that's what I did.

Soaked hair stuck to my face, I tripped and fell. Crying out as I fell into the black beneath my feet.

It felt like falling forever until things seemed to turn in a 360 and I slammed into a room with whit walls, covered in blood.

Serpine slowly walked in, carrying a long, sharp, deadly blade, casually. Everything seemed distorted like when you cross your eyes and you see fuzzy duplicates but also like hallucinating. His voice was far off and echo, slightly electronic.

"Its a funny thing, death. You can hold onto it for so long, just as long as you desire." He spoke, coming closer.  
Then without warning, he slammed the blade into my face. I whirled and screamed as I woke back up in Skulduggery's house. His arms already wrapped around me in comfort.

My breathing was fast and rapid, shallow and burning. I was sweating like an animal, my grip tight on Skulduggery's arms. The pain had seemed real, the fear was more intense than the last time I dreamt.

After a few minutes of getting myself together, I wiped away a tear and said. "It's getting wore.'  
He held me tighter.

* * *

The next day we were called to the Sanctuary for an unknown reason.

Me, still being quite edgy kept having panic attacks as to if it were real or this meeting will turn into some death scene.

We were both in the car, my grip on the seat belt a iron hold. Clawing my hands, a hot fear burning inside my chest.  
Skulduggery, being all knowing apparently as he is, noticed and put a hand on my own as if t let me know he was here.  
I was tired and h gave my comfort. I sunk into my chair and closed my eyes, not letting go of is hand.

_I couldn't move. I don't know why. I was just standing there, un able to do or say anything as Skulduggery sad goodbye and started walking off into the darkness._

_I felt something on my arm-_

Skulduggery gently shook my awake, we had arrived.  
Before he could notice the tears on my face, I wiped them away with my sleeve and gathered myself together before walking after him.

We both walked through the corridors, heading to Erskine's office. A headache slowly began to creep to my forehead.  
Walking into Erskine's room, Skulduggery shut the door behind us and we sat down.

My heart had started to pound, a hot feeling in my chest again. When Erskine looked up would he be some dead evil guy trying to kill me? Or kill Skulduggery. Will he blow up the whole place. Or simple tap me somewhere and drive me crazy-

"Valkyrie? Earth to Valkyrie." Came Erskine's voice, he waved a hand in front of my face ad I blinked, snapping out of thought.  
"Sorry." I mumbled.

I saw Skulduggery in the corner of my eye watching me with concern.  
Erskine smiled gently and sat back own. "Right then, as I was saying I don't think Valkyrie should be working with you anymore."  
Both heads snapped up, "What?" We said in union.  
"Just until she's better." He assured.

"And what will he do? Sitting alone in a house while I'm out doing something. That will help her?" Skulduggery argued.  
"She can stay here."  
No. No, no, no, no, no. I screamed in my head.  
"I don't think she wants to."  
"Why don't you let her speak then?"  
They both looked at me.

I said nothing. Not trusting myself. Not trusting my own mind.

Erskine spoke up again, "Well, there's no objections."  
"Because you're not giving her enough time? Does he even look the tiniest bit relaxed here? Be honest."  
He looked at me again, I realized how tense I looked, my hands clenched over the arm rests of the seat. I didn't realize I had been slowly clawing at the wood, there was a small patch where the wood had been clawed off.

"Well, we can make her relaxed." He said slowly, looking back at Skulduggery.  
"Giving her something to put her to sleep or calm her won't work. It'll make it worse."  
"You seem to know a lot about this." Erskine narrowed his eyes.  
"It's nearly been two weeks with this going on. I've been there the whole time, I would know."

"Right."  
Skulduggery leaned over to speak quietly to Erskine. I could just hear.  
"It's getting worse Erskine. She's getting hurt."  
"What are you saying?"  
"If this keeps up, she could quite possibly die."

I felt a massive hold empty my chest, draining everything I felt. My head throbbed and felt way too light.

Lights flickered in front of my eyes.

I felt my barrier weakening and I heard the voice of Darquesse back in my mind.

_Well hello._

_Go away._

_You must be wondering why I haven't saved you in any of these death experiences._

_Not really._

_Its because I can't. Whatever that bullet put into your system basically put me in a tiny cage. If you die. I can't save you. Because if you truly do die, you mind still thinks its just a trick._

_I'm not going to die._

_If so. Maybe you should checkout the knife that was also nearly got you killed._

Skulduggery had sat back down, Erskine looking flustered.

"There are places she can go."  
"She's not going there." Skulduggery growled.  
"What other choice do we have?"

In an instant Skulduggery was up, gun in hand, pointing directly at Erskine's head.  
"She's not going there." He spoke dangerously.

I watched him, really wondering now what I had gotten myself into.

Erskine swallowed, a drop of sweat running down his forehead.  
A cleaver then barged in, scythe at the ready. His gun didn't waver.

I guess he was waiting for me to bring him out of it like I usually would. Since he couldn't do it himself. But I didn't. For some scary reason I wanted him to pull the trigger. I was waiting in anticipation...

The cleaver noticed he wouldn't lower the gun so instead turned to me as I was about to get up. The cold blade touching my throat. I froze  
Skulduggery turned his head sightly to see the scene.

My hands on the arm rest in position to pull myself up, my leg off the chair also ready to pull my body up and the other bent upwards from when I was resting my chin on my knees. The cleaver holding is scythe to my throat. Erskine doing nothing.

He lowered the gun and the cleaver stepped back.

Ghastly entered the room, paper work in his hands, his face a look of boredom. He stopped and looked around.  
"Take him into custody." Erskine said coldly but choked to the cleaver, pointing at Skulduggery.

"What?" He yelled, the cleaver taking his arm.  
I had leaped from my chair, "No!"  
Ghastly held me to his chest, stopping me from running at him as he was forced out of the room.

Tears pricked my eyes as I weakly struggled in his hard grip.  
Skulduggery looked back at me just before he left my sight.  
"Be brave." Was all he said.

And then he was gone.

Silence filled the room.

"Okay. Someone tell me what just happened." Ghastly then said, his grip slowly loosening from my body. Erskine seemed edgy and frustrated. Ghastly let go all together and I stood, still and silent staring at where he had just been a moment ago.

"I'm sorry Valkyrie." Erskine said eventually. I wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't come.

Then it came to me.

I wasn't crying because part of me knew the code words _Be brave. _Sneaky bastard.  
My eyes narrowed, I was partly waiting for him to come barging in for me, since I couldn't exactly walk out now.  
And another part was telling that part to give up, how was he supposed to get past a cleaver?

How wrong I was.

Shouts came from outside the room, scuffling could be heard and then a smack on the wall. Ghastly walked back a few steps, Erskine slowly stood up.

Skulduggery then shouted from outside, "Duck!" Which I did and a bullet zinged past my head and hit the wall in between Erskine and Ghastly. Them, having dived, left me to run out. Skulduggery grabbed me and pulled me out of a line of gun fire from Erskine.

"You aimed for my head!" He screeched.  
"Sorry, got to go." Skulduggery replied and took my wrist, starting to run.

He called over his shoulder, "On the contrary, I was actually aiming for your leg!"

* * *

My eyes opened. I was still in the Bentley.

"Bloody hell!" I screeched.

* * *

_**Oh, the confusion. XD**_


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm not going to school. My birthday is tomorrow. I don't deserve this." I pleaded in the Bentley to Skulduggery.  
"Yes you are, and I know you are and...Yes you do."  
"Okay. The last one is unfair. Why do I deserve this?"  
"Because you're now wishing that this was a dream." He looked at me and I felt guilty.  
Sulking, crossed my arms and look down.

"Are you sulking now?"  
"Yes."  
"Rightio. We arrived."  
I groaned and looked at the school which loomed in front of me.  
"I'm getting you back."  
"I'm sure you will."

Flashing him a glare I dragged myself out of the car, pulling my bag over my shoulder and trudging into the building.  
It was wet outside and muddy. Don't forget muddy. I had to wear my uniform, but I let myself wear my work boots too.

I passed people I knew from my Reflection's memories. They just gave greeting glances.  
When I entered I let my memories take me to my classroom just as the bell went. What class was this?  
I looked at the door and saw the number 5 printed on it.  
5...5...5 was um.

Um.

History.

Oh god.

I entered and sat at the back desk in the corner away from the door and by the window.  
Students started entering, I got the waves, he nods, the ignores, and the sneers.

I must be popular.

A girl with blonde hair and dark brown eyes sat next to me, popping her back by the table leg as I did.  
What's her name again? Um.

"Hey Steph, good weekend?"  
"Yeah, it was alright." I replied to her smiling face.

The teacher entered, he wore a pinstriped suit and a matching hat. White gloves and classy shoes.  
"Oh god no." I whispered.  
"You know him?" The girl I still didn't know the name of whispered back.  
"You could say that." I muttered, sliding down in my seat.

She raised her eyebrow but said no more.  
The man, who I hoped and prayed wasn't him, spoke. "Good morning, ah. Class."  
Velvet voice. It was him.

I face palmed, dragging my hand down over my face.  
Natasha. That was it. Her name was Tash.

Skulduggery stood in front of the class, his hands clapped together.  
"Right! Today we'll be learning about um. History."  
"No shit!" Called out some rebel.  
"I will not have that language in my room. And for your information, I don't have any "garbage disposal substance".  
I closed my eyes at the suppressed laughter from the back of the room.

"Now! Can I have a volunteer for this experiment I'm going to show you." Skulduggery then ordered.  
"This isn't science."  
"Well. We better damn well change that."  
A few cheers went up.

I groaned.

I felt his "eyes" land on me. I looked up and sent him a pretty scary glare if I do say so myself.  
I raised my hand.

"Yes, you. With the dark hair."  
I rolled my eyes, "We should really stick with the proper subject we're meant to be having for the curriculum."  
He had no idea what that was. I forced back a grin.

Someone called out, "Nerd!"  
I looked over to the guy, "Rightio."  
"She admitted it!" The guy excitedly said.  
"I admitted nothing, I just accepted that you were trying to be "boss" by calling out the term "nerd" in order to make me feel like a douche. So to piss you off, I excepted it without a fight and now you look bad in front of your friends because eve though I'm not using any big words you have no idea what I'm saying."

Everyone was silent.

The guy swallowed and sank in his seat.

"You're getting it on with the teacher though! I saw you get out of his car!" Came a girl's voice.  
Skulduggery and I both said at the same time, "What?"  
She laughed, "There it is!"  
People laughed and turned around to look at me.

Skulduggery coughed, "I'm her uncle madam. I had to drop her off."  
"Her uncle is Fergus or something."  
"I'm her, other uncle."  
"Which one is that?"  
"Uncle...Pleasant."

People laughed again.

I crossed my arms and kicked my feet up on the desk, letting him do all the work.  
He glared at me.  
I smiled back.

He was about to talk again when I noticed small cracks starting to appear in the ground below me. I pushed my chair back to get a better view. More cracks. Tash looked where I was and jumped back. "What the-"

Sanguine exploded from the ground just as I dived, grabbing Tash so she fell back with me. People screamed and hid under the desks. Sanguine looked around, "What the hell are you doing here?"  
I don't think he noticed Skulduggery slowly walking up on the inside window sill.

I stood up, "You know what? I could really ask you the same."  
Some people were peeping out from under the desks, Tash back crawled away.  
"Well. You must surely know by now." He slurred, casually walking up.

Í shrugged, "Meh."  
"So where's that sharp dressing skeleton that usually saves your butt?"  
"Oh you know, right there." I casually pointed behind him and he whirled into a fist.  
I stood over him, "And you doesn't "usually" save my butt."  
"Yes I do."  
I glared at him. "No."  
"Yes."  
"No. I'm usually the smart one and-"  
"Pfft RIGHT."  
"You're the one who got lost in a tower with only one way to go."  
"Watch it, Cain."

Sanguine lazily watched the two detectives bicker.  
"Det- Detec- HEY!" He yelled.  
We looked at him.  
"Detectives, may you help me up."  
"No." Skulduggery said.  
"Nope." I said a millisecond after.

He sagged.

"Detectives?" Came that same guys voice who called me a nerd.  
"Yeh. I heard that too." The girl said.  
Skulduggery turned, I rolled Sanguine onto his back, and placed a boot on him. I looked in the direction Skulduggery was.  
"This is all a um."  
"A play. That's right. There's a hidden camera filming it for a project."

There were some "Ooohs." Going around the classroom.  
They were too thick to think about how the guy magically popped out of the ground.

Sanguine then whispered to us both, "I'm not alone you know."  
A scream came from the hall. "You go. I'll take care of Mr Texan here." Skulduggery said.  
I ran out into the hallway to see Dusk pushing stray students away as he stalked over to me.

"Oh shit." I muttered, sagging. Still visible from the history classroom.  
I back stepped a bit, fighting the urge to use magic.  
Dusk fell into the trap and walked slowly past the door to let Skulduggery see. He walked up to me. "Hello, school girl."  
I rolled my eyes, "Just because you guys happen to find me at school doesn't mean anything."  
"Oh it does. It means you don't have protective gear on."

Realizing this, I mentally kicked myself for being so foolish.

Dusk suddenly jumped forward, grabbing my wrists and slamming me against the wall, pinning me there.  
I used the air to re enforce my kick which I sent to his ribs. He grunted and staggered slightly which I used to duck under a wipe and roll out of his reach, getting up straight away and running, jumping onto a structure bar and running along it till I got to the top.

"Stop acting like a kitty cat." He snarled.  
"Nah. I'm good." I flashed him a grin as Skulduggery strolled up behind him.

He tapped him on the shoulder and Dusk turned. I grabbed the bar above me and flung myself at his back. Using the air once again, to smash his back. I heard a crack and he howled, whirling to face me. I ducked under a grab and Skulduggery yanked his arm, pulling him in and trying to slam him to the ground. It sort of worked, except the part of him going to the ground. He staggered away.

"You're not really good at this anymore Dusk." Skulduggery mused, head cocked.  
"Lets wait till night time then, shall me?" He sneered.  
"Um. I have things on, sorry. Can't make it."  
I rolled my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, young lady." Skulduggery muttered.  
Dusk approached.

"Be brave."  
"Oh for fu-" I started to say before he pulled me out of leaping range and sprinted out of the school towards the Bentley.

"I always hate your stupid plans when you say Be brave." I yelled as we ran.  
"Yeah well. As long as it works."  
"Hardly!"  
I quickly got in and buckled my seat belt before we sped off.

"Well. That was close."  
"Yes, yes it was." He replied.

There was silence in the car for a while.

"I want to go dress shopping for tomorrow."  
He looked at me.  
I grinned back.  
"I'm not taking you." He said simply.

I sulked. "You suck."

"I know."

* * *

**_Two chapters in one day?_**

**_WHAAAAAAT?_**

**_XD_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing the supportive comments! 3  
I was having my doubts about this story to be honest since it went a little off track.**_

_**But here we go.**_

_**VALKYRIE'S 19TH BIRHTDAY! XD**_

* * *

-Katarina POV- (pronounced cata-reena)

I hated cold, snowy days like this. It made me want to break the ice with one look of hatred, hurl away the snow with a snarl and push everything cold and wet down deep with a snared kick.

Sitting in my dark room, watching the snow gently fall in front of the window enraged me. I wanted to go outside and run away, but I couldn't.  
Not while it was like this.

I stood up abruptly and walked over to the mirror to look at my eyes like I did for hours some days. They were so fictional, un natural and one of a kind.

They were a deep, dark red. Crimson fires in distant smoky fields, a dark hazed wash over the surrounding. They burned and danced to a different emotion I felt. They were, as you could say, beautiful. In a destructive way.

My skin was pale, my hair jet black and long with a windswept look. I was tall and slender, strong and fit. My skin was flawless, perfectly radiant but pale from the cold, smooth and fine. My hair was the same, silky to the touch, never needed brushing, always flowed down my back.

My lips were dark, but stayed plush and healthy. But my limbs, my bones, they made me fast, agile, strong. My nails were slightly snark same with my perfectly white teeth.

I tried not to go in public because people would see these all as un natural. But then again, I was cooped up in an orphanage, so I couldn't really go out.

I was 19. My birthday was August with has been an passed. Its now October.

I wore a simple, full black top with straps over my shoulders, dark jean pants and high heeled, strong, supportive boots that lung to my legs and feet, lacing up the length of the boot, just under my knee's.

Nails painted black and thick, dark eyeliner. I got called "Goth" a lot. I shrug it off.

My rage came back as I turned to the window, I snarled at it. A low, crackling, dangerous snarl that sounded like a wolves.  
Out of pure instinct, I pushed my right hand out towards the window. It smashed mutely and the mild blizzard going on outside had a sort of warm, safe tunnel pushed through it from the blast.

Grinning wildly I looked around my room for the last time and ran. A path of embers being made for me.

Gliding over the coals with such grace and speed, I entered Roarhaven in minutes.

* * *

-Valkyrie's POV-

I sighed and shook my head at myself in the mirror.

I had been trying on millions of dresses and couldn't find one I liked.

I didn't want to wear one but Skulduggery insisted. So I had to oblige.

Taking it off, I looked around again. Something dark caught my eye on the racks, I turned and grinned.

* * *

Up in my room, I was getting ready to head of to Skulduggery's where he was holding it. I decided to go a bit earlier, for reasons I'm sure you know why. :)

The dress I picked was raven black. The top half clung to my frame and showed some cleavage which couldn't be helped since I have big boobies.

( XD hehehehhe)

It was decorated with patterns of silver and dark red leave skeletons with shimmered and crackled with light when I moved. At the back, it opened up and hung down slightly to reveal my back. The bottom half hung, stopped at my knee's. It was just a simple black.  
Going down my right arm from the dress was a black and dark, deep red lacy, see through sleeve.

I wore high heeled, black boots going up to below my knee's. They had dark red lace running up them and a silver buckle on each right-right side and left-left side.

My eyeliner was dark and smoky. My lips a dark red. My hair hung loose down my back like a waterfall. It had a black flower to the side so it hung off t right side of my face. The flower was red inside and three strand, leafy things hung out from the middle. The black petals, flowed up and hung backwards near the end.

Smiling at myself in the mirror I walked out of my room and got into a taxi to Skulduggery's place.

* * *

Arriving, I confidently walked up to the door and opened it without knocking. Quietly, I walked through the hall way into the main room where the couch was and the T.V.

I saw him facing away from me, reading a book, leaning forwards on the kitchen counter.

"Mr Pleasant, you really need a lock on your door." I purred.  
He whirled, surprised. Took a double take and stared at me.  
I rolled my eyes.

"Well...My- ah. M-M-Mahhhhhhh."  
I grinned.  
He coughed. "My house is too amazing for a lock."

I jumped up and down, "What did you get me?" I wailed.  
He sighed, "You still act like a child sometimes."  
"Give. Me. It." I aid. Stopping jumping.

"Not until everyone else gets here."  
"Meany."  
"I am known for such things." He cocked his head and his voice turned softer. "You look very beautiful Valkyrie."  
I blinked and instead of blushing I joked, "Well. Is that the first compliment I've ever gotten from you or?" I started counting with my fingers and talking silently to myself when he's complimented me.

"Oh shut up." He laughed.  
"By the way. Why _were _you at school that day?"  
"In case you needed me. In case you had a dream."  
"Rightio." I replied, turning around to look at the place. There wee two black balloons tied by the fire place which was going.

I turned back to him and clapped slowly. "Wow. Well done mate. Well done. You managed two balloons for decoration.  
"Hush."  
Grinning again I walked past him into the kitchen to get a drink.  
He watched me as I poured a glass, "You came early, why?"  
"I was bored."  
"Seems legit." He shrugged.

I started to drink when he said, "What is it with women and their big boobies showing?"  
I spat out my water as I choked on hysterical laughter, dropping the glass. Tears streamed down my face as I cracked up laughing.  
Luckily the make up I wore was "magical" so it never smudged, nor faded until I wanted it to.

Falling to my knee's with laughter I heard him complain about the broken glass and came to pick it up.  
After a few more minutes I got myself together and wiped the tears away, standing up shakily.  
"You right now?" He asked, leaning back on the counter.  
"Yeah. Think so." I giggled slightly and took a deep breath. "Kay. Yeah. I'm good."

He nodded, "Good."  
His head tilted as if he were thinking deeply, watching me. I raised an eyebrow.  
He was about to lean in. I knew he was but then a knock was heard from the door and he went to tend to it instead.  
I felt disappointed and lost.

* * *

The music was alright.

The people that came were Ghastly, Skulduggery of course, Dexter Vex, Erskine, Fletcher ad his girlfriend Lial, Tipstaff. I was waiting for Tanith until I remembered she was a remnant.

I started drinking some wine a half hour ago, sitting with Fletcher and catching up. Lial was chatting to Tipstaff, Ghastly and Skulduggery were chatting and Erskine was with Dex.

I was sad. I was depressed. I felt broken in two.

I could feel his "eyes" on me 24/7. Burning into my skin, I pretended not to notice.

"So, how's working with Skulduggery been?" Fletcher asked.  
I looked at him, taking a sip of my drink. "Pretty good." I lied.  
"Well. I'd say you look stunning but Lial but get jealous." He joked.  
I lightly hit him, "Meany."

His gaze went down slightly, "You know. These parties aren't fun without Tanith anymore. I may no have been her friend really, but I do miss her."  
I looked at him for a while, "Aw Fletch. That's the nicest thing you've ever said."  
Fletcher grinned slightly, "Yeah, well."

Finishing my wine, I popped it on the counter and leaned back.  
"You sure you should be drinking so much?" He asked.  
"Fletcher. That was my second, in small cups. And I'm taking breaks in between and drinking them slowly. I'm right."

Lial bounded up an took Fletcher in an embrace. "Hiya Fletch! Tipstaff is really nice, we should go talk to him. He seems lonely."  
"Sure sweet thing, just not yet. Let me and Valkyrie finish our chat. You can bring Tipstaff over if you want."  
Lial looked at me, I saw the hate in her eyes, "Nah. I'm good." She turned and walked back to the Administrator.

She was 17. Fletcher was what, 21 now?  
Tad age difference.

Fletcher blushed and turned back to me, "Sorry she can get a bit...snotty."  
"I'm used to it. I have the Toxic Twins."  
"Ahhh. Right."

"Oh hey, before I forget. I got you something." Fletcher added, putting his beer down to check in his pockets. He took out a small black box with a blue ribbon.

"Thanks." I smiled, pulling off the ribbon and opening it.  
Inside nestled a necklace with the face of a cocky Fletcher hanging off it.

I burst out laughing and he frowned. "What's wrong with it."  
"Nothing, nothing. Is this something to remember you by?" I giggled.  
"Yep. You have my sexy face, everywhere you go."  
"Right." I replied, grinning.

A velvet voice came from behind me and I jumped. Fletcher flinched back and fell off his stool.  
Turning around I saw Skulduggery standing there in his black and white suit. "Hai." I said.  
"This party is boring. Dex hasn't taken his shirt off yet and danced on the kitchen table top."  
"I hope o god that won't happen." I said slowly.

He coughed, "It's quite amusing."  
"I think you're drunk."  
"No." He said sheepishly.  
"How does that even happen?" I laughed.  
He sulked. "Magic."

Glancing around I saw Lial and Fletcher making out in a corner. A sick, lonely feeling churned in my stomach and I couldn't look away. I tried to imagine that being me and the drunk skeleton standing next to me but it wouldn't work.

His hand touched my chin and turned my head to face him, he sat down on the stool opposite me.  
"You alright?"  
"I'm fine." I mumbled.  
"You don't sound fine."

* * *

-With Ghastly, Dex and Erskine-

"He's gonna do it." Dex.  
"Do what?" Erskine.  
"Kiss her." Ghastly.  
"What?" Erskine.  
"Yeh that's right. He said he would. He made the decision last night apparently." Dex.  
"This is stupid. No way he would." Erskine.  
"Just watch and learn." Ghastly.  
"I don't see how-" Erskine, interrupted by Ghastly and Dex.

"JUST WATCH AND LEARN."

They were all huddled together, watching intently by the kitchen.

* * *

"Well I'm fine."  
"You sure about that?"  
"Yes."  
"Absolutley positive?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay."

Why did I feel disappointed again?  
We are two partners in crime and that's it. That's how the job works. Nothing else to it.

My face became hard and confident. The tears thrown back into my chest, disappointed clouded away.

"I'm fine. You're fine. Everyone's fine. There's nothing else happening, unless you count my dismal birthday which was actually quite shit. I have hardly no friends, my one best friend is dead to the world, Fletcher likes to show off being with someone else, you can't get over your ego and what you are and I feel actually quite sick now." I blabbed out.

He was still for a moment before he stood up, held out a hand which I reluctantly took and led me out into the dark hall way.

He turned around to face me.  
"Okay one, I tried my very best for you. And if you couldn't understand what my decoration meant then that's your loss. You have plenty of friends but you just never do anything about them because you chose to come with me that night when you were 12, Tanith is gone and you have to try and get over that. I thought you hated the little sod, Fletcher is and I thought you were over me. I told you to get over it. I want you to get over it. We're partners and nothing more, understand. You have no chance because I'm not going to do that. Now grow up, Valkyrie ad get over your pathetic excuses to everything." He turned to walk off, "Don't dress to impress me next time." And he walked off, leaving me shocked and more broken than before in the hallway.

I slowly sunk down to my knee's, tears started streaming down my face. I was hurting. Hurting a lot. I wanted this to be a dream.

I kept screaming in my head to wake up.

But after a half hour of trying I knew it wasn't.

I was still trying to get over the fact he actually said that to me.

My head lolled back onto the wall and I curled up. _Don't dress to impress me._

I didn't do that. Did I? No. I didn't.

But I did come early.

I cried silently, hearing faint music in the main room. I heard chatter. Did they even notice I was gone?

His decoration. What did it mean?

There were just two black balloons tied together by a fire place...

Oh god.

I felt horrible. He did that to represent us. I think at least.

After an hour I got up, shakily and slowly walked into he main room to find the music was left on and everyone was gone.

Skulduggery sat on the couch.

"Get out of my house." He simply said.

I turned to go but hesitated.

I turned around to find him watching me.

Anger flared up in my eyes, "If you _ever _say those kind of things to me again I swear I won't just get up and leave because you ordered me to. And you're right. How could I ever even _think _of loving such a twisted, heartless, egotistical runt who only thinks of himself."

I turned and stormed out, yelling out at him. "I will have nothing more to do with you."

* * *

**_Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn n. Skulduggery was a total shit ball. XD_**


	9. Chapter 9

-Valkyrie's POV-

I don't know what I was thinking.

I blocked calls and texts from everyone, I'm pretty sure Skulduggery even tried. I locked myself up in Gordon's Mansion and stayed there.  
It's been two weeks now. No one has bothered try and come to the door. Who would want to? I'm an obnoxious teenager with no friends, no life and in love with a 400 year old skeleton.

Sounds about right.

I'd thrown the dress in the fire in my anger, and watched it simmer and burn. At the thought I clenched my fists, my sharp nails digging into my skin.

And then I heard a knock on my door.

The sound frightened me at first before I realized what it was. I turned in disgust to the door, wondering who the hell would bother.  
Slowly I walked up but thought against it and turned and went to my room.

I was only there for 10 minutes, listening to Breathe by Delilah when there was a tapping on the window.  
It could only be one person and that made me glare at the curtains covering the window as if he could see.

Another few taps.

"I can hear the music. I know you're there." Came Skulduggery.  
Still, I said nothing and did nothing but turn it up louder to drown out the taps.

I didn't hear the window being slid open or the curtains parting, but I did see the shadow that fell over the desk. I turned my head. Said nothing.

"I'm sorry."  
Still said nothing.  
"I wasn't in control of what I said. I was sort of...maybe drunk."  
I turned around and faced him fully.

"I don't care if you were sober or not. The thoughts were still somewhere in your head and you said them. I hardly think you can remember them."  
"I do, it's one of he advantages of being a skeleton. And there was no reason to lock yourself up."  
"Well, to you, no one really cares for me. I'm just an inconsiderate ass hole who tries to impress every guy she meets." I yelled, turning and walking down stairs.  
He followed. "I didn't' mean what I said, Valkyrie!"  
"That doesn't mean it didn't hurt."  
"I'm not saying it didn't, but I'm saying I wasn't in control of what I said."

"Your argument isn't helping."  
"Because it's not making sense or getting through your bloody thick skull!" He then yelled.

I looked at him.  
"Out." I said quietly.  
"I'm sorry-"  
"I said out."  
"I didn't man that, Valkyrie please."  
"GET OUT!" I screamed.

Skulduggery hesitated before obliging, turning and walking towards the door.  
"Your chance of getting me back just made it worse. Don't expect to think you can come back to sort things out."  
"Just listen to me." He sighed, turning back around.

"Well, apparently I can't. I'm too thick for someone like you." And with that I turned and walked upstairs into Gordon's study.

I heard the door slam shut.

* * *

"Val, you need to calm down." Gordon said s I told him what happened.  
"Calm down? You heard what he said to me." I snarled.  
"Its an anger build up. Over years, not just because of you. You could be a fragment of his problems. But once in someone's life they have an outburst at the first person that triggers it. Most of what he said might not be about you, no matter if it was in context to sound like it. He tried to explain that but okay, made it worse."  
"Damn right he did."

"But you have to see tings from his point of view. Just think to yourself, if he does truly love you then why hasn't he just given up?" He stated.

I stared blankly out the window before leaving the study.

* * *

It was 3 AM when I heard the tapping at the window again. I had lost track of time, I think it had been another few weeks.  
I was already awake, having not slept well for days.

I stood up and went over to the window, pushing the curtain open and seeing a shadowing figure with a fedora sitting on the window sill.  
I made no move to open it.

He switched o hi phone, texted something an then showed me it.

_I'm not here to say sorry since you won't accept it but it's easy to tell your dreams have stopped. That's what Yanner wanted, to loose the people you loved and then it would stop. Not all together sure what the purpose is for it but I thought you'd want to know._

I only noticed then that since my birthday my dreams had stopped. Well. That just justifies I don't need him anymore.

I stared a him a moment longer before letting the curtains fall across the window.

Tears streamed down my face and I grabbed the lamp on my table and ditched it at the wall, it smashed loudly and I hissed with pain as a shard of glass hit my arm.

I yanked it out an threw it out the door, crying again. fell to my knee's, feeling warm blood run down my right arm.

Now I really did feel lonely. I felt un loved and un cared for. I felt solitude and judged. I felt like nothing and like a huge black hole was caved into my chest.

Having not noticed the window open and the figure step in, I continued my crying on my knee's with the shattered glass everywhere and my arm uncovered.

Bony arms slowly pulled me onto a lap and embraced me.

Knowing it was him gave me a sense of relief and hatred at the same time. I tried to struggle out of his grip but it tightened and pulled me closer until I relaxed and gripped his coat with clenched fists, sobbing quietly into his suit, curled up in an embrace with his arms around me.

We were like that for hours, until strong, warm sunlight bleached through the curtains on top of us.

Peacefully, I fell asleep.

* * *

_I was having the same dreams I had before, expect they were going backwards, until it reached when I was standing in the black forest. My pursuer hadn't been the weird dragon after all._

_It was Yanner, he was frowning. "How did you beat my curse?"  
"It was hardly a curse." I snorted.  
"No. Its very powerful."  
"I smashed it into little pieces and my friends came to see what as wrong. That's what happened. I never lost anything."  
He snarled, "I'll get you, Cain."_

_With this, his eyes turned to fire and he leaped at me, but before he reached me I woke up with hardly a bead of sweat._

I was in my bed, raining outside and silence in the house

Sitting up, I saw a hunched figure next to me. I poked him.

"Finally."  
"How long was I asleep?"  
"A few days."

"Right..."

He stood up and held a hand out to me, I took it and stood up with him, he led me downstairs and out side.  
"In case you haven't noticed, it's raining." I growled.  
"Exactly, so its a romantic moment."  
"What's romantic about my hair getting ruined?"  
"Your hairs fine." He said simply and cupped my face before kissing me.

Well. Tat was un expected.

Slowly my arms went around his neck and my eyes closed. His held my waist and pulled my closer.

With the rain over our heads and making us drenched, it was like ne of those scenes you expect in Titanic or something.

It went on for a while until we parted and I said, "You're such a doof."  
"I try." He said and was about to pull me in for another kiss when the ground erupted between us, throwing us to the ground. anguine straightened his tie and stretched. "Well, sorry to break the moment. But some guy paid me big buck for miss drenched here."

Before I could react from my dazed thoughts he grabbed me and took me down. I tried to reach out to Skulduggery as he dived and tried to grab hold. Out fingers brushed, I tried to cling on.

But I was already gone.

* * *

**_Poor Skulduggery. He finally gets her back and now he's kidnapped._**

**_XD_**


	10. Chapter 10

"You won't feel a thing." Yanner promised as he picked up some sort of glowing, beacon thing.  
I was tied to a chair in a warehouse. "That's the problem. That's the most used line in movies but it always hurts."  
"Oh well." He shrugged and started towards me.  
"On second thoughts, I don't really want my memory wiped thanks. So back off a tad." I eyed him warily.

Yanner thought for a moment. "To be honest. I really don't care."  
"That's nice of you."  
"It is."

Then the door burst off its hinges and Skulduggery Pleasant walked in, gun in hand. "Sorry I'm late."  
I shrugged, "Right on time if I do say so myself."  
Yanner snarled and threw his hand out, like in Star Trek beaming devices, circles of light revealed three people. With perfect looks but hateful eyes. Each wearing black.

Skulduggery hesitated, "Right. That's unfair. Three immortals?"  
Yanner grinned and said something in old tongue dialect.  
The people's eyes glowed and a red energy puled outwards from their chest, creating a barrier around Skulduggery, who sagged.

"That's cheating." He muttered.

"Right. That's solved. Now, where was I?" Yanner said broadly. The people vanished in the rings of light again.  
"You were up to the part where you let me out?"  
"I was?"  
"Yes."  
"Right- Ahhh. I see what you're trying to do, Miss Cain."  
I sighed. Worth a try.  
He picked up the little cylinder thing.

He flicked a small switch on the side of the small, short, silver pole and a bright, white light spun out of the end.  
Yanner aimed for my eye, which I closed automatically.

Now, the memory of Skulduggery accidently hitting me mixed with my birthday party events. It made me feel hate and fear.  
I heard a whisper in my head.

_If you had the chance to go back. Re write what happened that night when you were 12. Would you? To get away from being the mistake you are now. You wouldn't be Darquesse. And you would have friends and a life._

I felt sweat crisscrossing my forehead, my breathing fast and shallow.

"Don't listen to it Valkyrie." Came a muted velvet voice.  
I got hot, energy spikes through my body and I relived the bad man breaking into the house and threatening to kill me. Skulduggery came in, laughed and shot me.

Wait, what?

_If you wish to re live this. Open your eyes._

I tried to fight against it, but it was starting to get over powering. I strained against the restraints holding me down.  
I think Darquesse was trying to help, since she didn't want to be suppressed. She threw the memory of Skulduggery and I kissing in.

"Bloody hell." I heard Yanner curse, the feeling in my head intensified.

_Kay. Valkyrie. Let me through. _Came Darquesse's voice. _I can save you._

I felt the barrier breaking between me and her.

"Yanner, I suggest you run at this current time." Came Skulduggery's voice.

It was all getting clearer, I don't know how he knew Darquesse was slowly pushing through.

"I'm not that dumb, Pleasant."  
"Actually. You are."  
"I second that." Darquesse said. The restraints vaporing into shadows.

Kicking him away, she then stood up and stretched before opening her eyes.

(I made Darquesse have paler skin and black and red eyes so she doesn't just look like Valkyrie.)

She looked over at Skulduggery, blinked, and the barrier shimmered and faltered altogether.

"You're lucky I've been so nice these past months." She said, before turning to Yanner who was stumbling all over the place.  
Skulduggery shrugged, "When do you plan on giving my combat accessory back?"  
"Soon. First though, I have to do something." Darquesse walked up to the cylinder Yanner dropped and flicked a few buttons on the side.

"She won't relive anything. But she'll forget everything except me and her taken name."  
_What? NO._

"No. I'm not letting you do that." Skulduggery said, stepping forward.  
"I'd like to see you try." She was about to say something else when she stumbled. I was trying to break through.  
Yanner finally came to a halt, "That doesn't work. I made it so you can't change it. She remembers nothing full stop or she relives it all."  
"Damn." Darquesse muttered after gaining control.

Everyone relaxed.

"Oh well." She said suddenly and turned the light into her eyes.

I screamed inside my mind and suddenly I was on the ground. Memories of my life passing by while Yanner made a run for it and Skulduggery dropped beside me.

I was going slowly. But it was getting closer to when he saved me that night. I gripped his wrist, and an understanding passed between us. I stared at him in desperation.

He leaned down and kissed me, I retuned it.  
I just _knew _somehow that I won't be seeing him like I was now for a long time.

I pulled away and gripped him tighter. "Keep me in the Sanctuary. I don't want something to happen and for me to run away. Promise me that."  
Sanctuary agents arrived at the warehouse. The re enforcements that he obviously called before he entered the warehouse.  
Ghastly ran in, telling the rest to stay there.

"I promise." Skulduggery said simply, just as my twelfth year passed through my mind.

Everything started to get confusing after that. I didn't know who he was or why I was working with him.

And then.

My 19th year.

I closed my eyes for a while. Feeling cleaned out and empty. Seeing locked up, iron boxes buried in the far back of my mind, chained up and un reachable.

My eyes flicked open and they darted around. Seeing unknown faces in an unknown warehouse.

There was a skeleton...Okay. Rightio. Standing up a bit away, watching me, I think. And a scarred man kneeling beside me.  
I saw people leaving the entrance to the warehouse.

Slowly I sat up, way of the random people.

I got a strange feeling towards the skeleton which made me stare at him, for some odd, crazy reason I wasn't even scared of him.  
"Valkyrie?" The scarred man said.  
"Um." Was I said before I lost consciousness.

* * *

**_Sorry its short and messy. But I had to get that chapter out the way._**


	11. Chapter 11

"I can hate what you say, and still smile. I am the ring leader, of my own circle. Fall on my knee's and I won't bleed. Set me on fire, and I'll fall to sleep. The pain of my scolds sets me free. I can not breathe, yeah-" I was singing quietly under my breath when the skeleton walked into the room.

Well, my room.

I woke up here. It was cosy I guess. If you skip the fact there was a pane of glass near the top that they watched me from. You'd think I'd be scared. But to be honest, I didn't know what else to do or where to go. So I made myself at home. A part in the corner of my mind said it would be over later.

The skeleton, well. Skulduggery, walked in and stood a bit away from me.  
I looked up and flicked the music off which was playing from a small stereo.

"Hi." He said, as if he weren't sure on what else to say.  
"Ello." Responded I, kicking my feet up on the bench.  
He did nothing more.

"Well don't just stand there like a goof, you're allowed to sit." I joked.  
Skulduggery stiffly sat down on a chair, I applauded him. "Good job."  
His head tilted in a way that meant, Very funny.  
I don't know how I understand his features and movements. I just did.

"Valkyrie, do you remember anything?" He said suddenly.  
Valkyrie. That was what people called me. I suppose that was my name.  
I shrugged, "I remember waking up and seeing a perfectly normal skeleton and some other guy."  
"What about before that?"  
"Before that?" I pondered this question and realized myself I had no idea. "Dunno."

He seemed to sag.  
"What's wrong Bony?"  
"Nothing." With that, he got up and walked out.

I suddenly felt like I was missing something, I felt like an intruder and I felt unimaginably lonely.

* * *

A week passed and I didn't talk to Skulduggery. He came in once or twice to see how I was. Eventually he got desperate and tried to start conversations. I might throw him a glare once in a while and still say nothing.

The week after I got annoyed. I wanted to go somewhere else other than this room. As nice and big as it was, I started to hate it.  
I began to pace the room sometimes, feeling the stares of the two or three people watching me from the other room through the tinted glass window.

Random feelings came to me sometimes with a flash of a memory. More like a picture that lasted half a second with an emotion to go with it.  
And then the week after that, they got more intense. So I started to try and remember them and draw them down.

They turned out to be eye view scenes of random things. Scary things. Sad things.

Skulduggery came in and saw them one day. Looking at them for an age, looked at me, then ran out.

* * *

-A month later-

I was sitting. Just sitting. Breaking a pencil, bit by bit with frustration. I was so close to something important.  
Then a voice in my head.

_Well. That took longer than expected. Finally, I'm back._

_Who are you?_

_My, my Valkyrie. I suppose you haven't remembered yet. I might give you a hand later._

I tried to ignore it. But eventually I was getting frustrated. I kicked a table over in my rage and it broke under my kick and the floor.

_You must feel proud. You killed a table. I can give you more power if you let me out._

_Go away._

_Once you have the power you can get out of here an do what you want._

I hesitated.

I wanted to but it felt wrong. I knew I shouldn't. There was a distant voice screaming no.

_No. Go away._

_Don't make me force you._

_Piss off._

I stood up and started randomly walking around, bored and un sure.

_Fine. I'll make you then._

A sharp pain stabbed in my chest and ribs, light exploded in my vision. I screamed and fell to my knees, clutching my sides. Breathing fast and shallow, I tried to register my thoughts and senses.

_Just let me through and you'll never feel pain again._

It hurt. The voice hurt. My hands went to my head and I shouted, "Shut up!"

* * *

-With Skulduggery, Ghastly and Erskine-

They were watching through the tinted windows.

Ghastly panicked, "Its Darquesse."  
"I can see that." Skulduggery muttered.  
"What do we do?" Erskine sighed, frustrated.

"I'll go in." Skulduggery said after a while of silence.

They bot looked at him, "Are you crazy? If Darquesse breaks through she'll kill you."  
"Doubtful. Plus. If I don't do something Darquesse will just keep hurting her till she's on the brink of death where she can easily break through."

With that, he headed to the door.

* * *

Shadows flung uselessly out of my body as first. Out of control and harmless.

I tried to build up a barrier in my mind and fight against it.

I rolled onto my back, my fingers curling in agony. Sharpened shadows shot around of them and smashed the bookcase and the bed.

The door to the room opened and Skulduggery walked in. Great.

He sat down next to me.

"Wonderful help you're giving there." I said at him through clenched teeth as pain shot up my spine. I arched slightly, crying out.

"Well. I can't exactly help as such. I'm here as support."

"Oh wonderful." I snarled.

"Duck." I said suddenly.

Instantly after I said that an arc of shadow reaped through the space where he was just sitting.

He was lying down and at back up. "Bit of a late warning, but it'll do."  
"I'm going to kill you once this I over."  
"That sounds lovely." Skulduggery chirped.

Blackness covered most of my vision and I went limp, breathing fast and shallow still. Sweat covering my face. A laugh inside my head then I was blank to what happened next.

Darquesse blinked, sat up and looked round casually before seeing Skulduggery stand up quickly and hesitate.

"That went well." She said and jumped up with such ease.  
"I'm glad." He muttered.  
"So you should be."

"Why? What was the point in erasing her memory?" Skulduggery growled.  
"I was bored, and I liked to watch you all suffer."  
"That's not right."

She shrugged before suddenly grabbing at him and pushing him against the wall. Her eyes were a deep, dark red that shimmered with a fatal darkness. Her skin pale and more demonic looking.

"You haven't killed me yet. That's Valkyrie still stronger than you." He said smugly.  
Her eyes flashed a dark brown, she staggered but came back to strength, pressing him harder against the wall. "I'll get you one day."  
The strong grip left leaving a normal looking Valkyrie.

"Yes. I'm going to kill you. Rip you limb from limb-" I joked, continuing with the act.  
"I'm so very scared."  
"I've wanted to for a while now. With your annoying as poo ego and your cockiness."  
"You can stop putting up the act whenever you want." He laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." And with that, I leaned in and kissed him.

His hands held my waist and pulled me impossibly close, I could tell he missed me.  
Well. I missed him more. I think.

My right arm was tight around the back of his neck, the other clutching his open suit jacket.  
After a while, I started humming a theme song while I was kissing.  
"Are you singing Narnia?" He mumbled against my lips.  
"Maybe." I mumbled back, smiling.

"Why?" He said eventually, parting for breath. Even though he didn't need it.  
"It's a dramatic moment."  
"Well, in that case."  
e picked me up, bridal style an kicked down the door, striding out.

* * *

-With Ghastly and Erskine-

"I'm not entirely sure what I just witnessed." Erskine murmured.  
"Me neither..." Ghastly coughed.  
"Want to make out?"  
"Not really."  
"Want to get coffee?"

There was a pause.

"Yeah sure."

* * *

**_The proper Valkyrie is back now because, if Darquesse came to the surface, so did Valkyrie. For some reason._**

**_Idk. Just go with it._**

**_XD_**


	12. Chapter 12

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Skulduggery."

...

"Fine. Be like that." I muttered and poked him in the head.

We were able to table few days off. So naturally, I just crashed at his house with him. It was the morning after I got my memory back. But Mr Funny Bones here was either in a deep trance or just ignored me.

I walked over to the kitchen to grab something to eat but the door that led into it was locked. It usually swing open, so I walked right into it.

My hands press up against it and my head on the door, I laughed in one of those sigh sort of laughs if you get that. After much airy chuckling I went over to the counter, placed a hand on the bench and swung myself over into the kitchen.

Landing with a slight plonk, I walked around for a moment, un sure of what to do. Stuff this. I'm not hungry.  
Going back the way I had come, I walked back over to Skulduggery and put my face close to his with an odd, fish expression.  
"Blob. Blob. Blob."

I stood back and flicked him. "Oi. Skul Man."  
"Funny bones."  
"Bag of bones."  
"Skeleton."  
"Hey, hey, hey."

I turned around, wondering what to do.

I turned back, hands clasped together. I put on a face and a n accent. "Mr Pleasant. If I _do _say so myself it appears that you are unresponsive. Does this mean I can take the Bentley?"

I think I saw a slight twitch somewhere.

"Rightio." I walked upstairs and a few moment later came down with a sledge hammer.

I started humming Equinox - First of the Year as I walked over to the door.

"Valkyrie Cain. If you even lay a finger print on my Bentley I will use that sledgehammer on yourself." Came the growling velvet voice.

I turned around and grinned, dropping the hammer and skipping over. "You've been ignoring me all morning."  
"No. I've been watching you this whole time, waiting for you to get to the point. Its been rather amusing. Especially when you walked into the door."

"Hush." I glared before sitting on his lap and getting comfy.  
"You right there?"  
"Yes, yes I am."

"Well then. How was your sleep?" Hi head tilted at me.  
"Rather uneventful."  
"How boring."  
"Yesh."

"What was that you were humming before?"  
"Um. First of the year."  
"I'm guessing that's a song."  
A devilish idea sprang to mind. "Would you like to hear it?"  
"Er, sure."

I jumped off him and ran upstairs, grabbing my iPod and dock, ran downstairs, plugged it in. Chose the song, put it up loud an sat back on Skulduggery.

"Interesting." He said after the first few seconds.  
Wait for it. I thought to myself.

Once the proper dubstep started his head tilted back. "This is horrible."  
"No. Its bloody amazing."  
He sighed, "Women."

And then it screamed CALL 911 NOW!  
He stiffened before shaking his head. "This isn't right."  
"Oh well."

Once the song finished I poked him.  
"You poked me."  
"Yes, yes I did."  
He poked me back.  
"Ow."  
"Ow?"  
"Yes, that's my bruised cheek."  
"Since when did you have a bruised cheek?"  
"Since when I...walked into the door." I mumbled.

He tried to hold in the laughter.  
"Don't you dare Pleasant. Don't you dare if you value your life."  
After a few moments he was fine again. "Kay. I'm good."

"I'm bored now."  
"Oh no." He said sarcastically.  
"Make me un bored." I muttered. Pawing at his hand which was now raised above my face. Since I was lying horizontal on him, looking up.  
"This is surprisingly very odd." He pointed out.  
"Very odd? For me? Pfft."  
"Well. For one, you're acting like a cat."  
"Cats are cute."  
"They're too fluffy."  
"How dare you!" I shrieked. "Kitties are bloody adorable."  
"Not when you put the bloody in it."

"Shut up."

I slapped his hand away and let my head hand over the edge of the chair. "I'm bored again."  
"Well we could do something if you weren't on top of me."  
"I'm too comfy."  
"Right."

My head came back up to be met with a kiss, bone fell away to proper lips and I didn't' stop him this time.  
My right arm slowly went around his neck and my left holding his open suit while his right was on the wise of my waist and the other in my hair.

It was like this for a while, passionate, hot, deep kissing when the front door opened, Skulduggery looked up and then literally threw me to the side, I crashed into the couch and fell over the other side.

Bloody hell. I thought. Right when I was having a good time. I heard voices.

"Did my eyes betray me?" Came a familiar voice I couldn't put my finger on.  
"What are you talking about?" Skulduggery asked, sounding genuinely confused.  
"Um. Never mind. Is Valkyrie here?"  
"No. She had to go off somewhere."  
"Where exactly?"  
"She didn't say."

"Right, well. If you see her. Tell her to give me a call on this number."  
And then the door closed.

"I can't believe you threw me into the couch." I muttered when I stood up, walking over.  
"Yes well."  
"So who was that?" I asked, sitting on the arm rest.  
"I don't know..."  
"He sounded familiar."  
"Did he?"  
"To me he did."

"Well. We're on a day off. So where were we?"  
"Somewhere along the lines of you throwing me into a couch."  
"Oh, get over it." He laughed.  
"You threw me into a _couch._"  
"Yes, yes I did."  
"But me. You threw me-"  
I was cut short by him pulling me in and kissing me again.

Now I was sitting on him, facing him. Legs wrapped around his lower back, arms around his neck and playing with the façade hair.  
His own trailed up and down my back before resting on my waist underneath the shirt.

"Does this count as an apology?" He murmured around my lips.  
"No."

* * *

**_Romantic XD_**


	13. Chapter 13

I opened my eyes to the song Flume - Holdin On. I smiled and sat up, stretching. With a first glance around the room I could tell Skulduggery left in a hurry. Maye he was being a gentleman and making me breakfast.  
That sent a small laugh to my lips as I got up. Trying to picture Skulduggery making pancakes.

Since this was our last day off I decided to make the mot of it. Kicking my work clothes into the closet and putting on a strappy, black top that clung to my frame and dark jeans. Brushing my hair to the side, so it hung down the rght side of my face.

Now that I was awake my detective skills properly clicked in, I don't think Skulduggery was actually downstairs. He left in a struggle sort of hurry.  
Well, we didn't exactly "sleep together" we were watching T.V. in the bed and I fell asleep in his arms. I usually wake up if he leaves.

I saw some blood on the table, and a sort of broken table leg.  
Narrowing my eyes, I put on socks and my work boots and headed to the door which had been jarred open. How did I sleep through all of this?

* * *

-While Valkyrie was asleep-

Skulduggery, who had been watching thegirl in his arms peacefully sleep, looked up at a noise downstairs.  
With a glace out the window he saw the man from yesterday entering the house.  
He didn't want Valkyrie to wake up, not because he was such a gentleman but because of ho the man was.

His hand went to the draw beside him and felt around for a leaf, holding it to the light of the fading moon, he saw it was the right one. A dark, blue leaf. He placed it in te slightly open mouth of Valkyrie andit instantly melted and turned into a fine mist which made its made down their throat.

Satisfied she wouldn't wake up, no matter the noise for a few hours, she carefully slpped out of bed, straightened his clothes and tie and headed downstairs.

And there was Sam, creeping around. The boy from the cafe. I knew he was suspicious.  
"Can I help you?" I asked, hands in pockets.  
He froze and looked up before standing straight. "Where is she?"  
"Why do you want her?"  
"You didn't give her the number did you?"  
"Nope."  
He stepped closer, eyes blaring. "Where is she."  
"I'll repeat my question, why do you want her?"

Sam snarled, "That's none of your concern."  
"It actually is, since I'm her partner and her best friend."  
"You're a skeleton."  
"Oh my god..." He absorbed this information. "Bloody hell...I didn't know." He acted traumitized.  
Sam narrowed his eyes at him.

He cut off the act, "Your point?"  
"Gve her to me and we can move on."  
"No." Skulduggery drew his gun.

Sam then flung his hand out and a wave of dark light flung out, hitting him in the chest.

Skulduggery flew back, hit the wall, rolled and came back up, taking shot.  
Sam's imagie flickered and the light cast him like a shadow in the other direction, the bullet going through nothing but a fine, dark mist.

Then he was behind Skulduggery and plced both hands on his back, the light spiked in all directions and Skulduggery slammed forward into the wall.

Sam, looked around before heading upstairs.

He continued walking till h found a locked door, his image flickered once again just as Skulduggery ran up, and he was cast underneath the door into the room, reforming on the other side.

Sulduggery snarled and smashed the door open with his foot, Sam whirled but was too late to throw up a barrier of dark light, a bullet zipped through his arm and blood splattered the table, he staggered into it and the able leg cracked under the pressure.

His appearance flickered this time and instead of orange hair it was black and spied backwards, his irises were silver. (If you've seen The Host. This is the appearance I'm trying to put foward. Great movie, that. XD)

Skulduggery faltered, "I thought your kind were extinct."  
"We were endangered, went into hiding in the southern regions but now some of us are coming forward. Have you met our friend Yanner? We set him up to go and start our plan, same with the nice bloke at the cafe."  
"What, do you want?"  
"Her." He said, pointing at the sleeping Valkyrie. He smiled, "Sneaky, she won't wake up for a while. Tell me, where do you think those leafs originate?"

Skulduggery' head cocked, "I already knew it originated from your race."  
"Exactly so I can simply. Over write it."  
"Don't."

"You're very protective of her, Pleasant."  
He shrugged, "I'm allowed to be."  
And then he fied his gun twice, Sam was ready. He put up a barrier and when the bullets hit, they turned into a white light which breezed around the dark energy barrier.

"Well, that hurt." He said sarcasticl, before using the barrier as a shield on his arm and coming forward, smashing it on his skull.

Skulduggery blacked out and fell.

Sam cuffed his hands behind his back and dragged him downstairs. He'll just wait for her to wake up.

* * *

I softly walked downstairs, taking mytime to listen out for anything.

When I got to the bottom, I looked around and saw Skulduggery against the wall, sitting down, hand beind his back. He looked up saw me and then suddenly inclined his head violently to run.

I turned suddenly at the footsteps and brought my arm up just as a fist came in. It pushed me up against the stair wall and I saw a black, spiky haired guy with silver eyes. Although all the other features seemed to resemble someone else.

"Hi Valkyrie." He said, smiling.  
Sam.

And then, gathering shadows in my kick, I lashed out, he yelled out, surprised and fell back.  
"Run!" Shouted Skulduggery, and that's what I did.

Legging it up the stairs, two at a time. I heard Sam cursing and start to follow me. I pushed through into the bedroom and ran to the window.

I had to chose whether to jump through it.

I remembered the silver eyes and realized that I would have to. Just as Sam entered te room, I jumped through the window, eyes closed. Shards of glass ripped through my skin and I cried out. Hitting the ground, rolling and coming up and began running again. I doubled back and pressed my back against the wall by the entrance to the house. Sam spirnted past, wisps of light coming out of his feet to make him go faster.

I quickly went back inside, and over to Skulduggery.  
"I told you to run, damnit."  
"I did, and he ran down the wrong way."  
"Then hurry up with this, we have to go."  
I bent down behind him and undid the shackles, helping him up. He turned around to pick up his hat, turned back and froze just as I felt something press on my back.

Gun.

"Hands." Sam ordered, I shoed them, holding them out. He grabbed my ring and put it in his pocket.

I looked at Skulduggery who looked at me. Having a quick conversation between our eyes.

_Surprise attack.  
He'll shoot you._

_Nah, I'll be fine.  
He has a gun at your back._

_Exactly why he won't suspect anything.  
Valkyrie, don't you dare-_

Too late, I thought and lashed out, hitting his arm and the gun skidding across the ground. I turned quickly and grbbed his wrist, pulling him close and sending a knee into his head. Light filled his free hand and smashd on my ribs. I fell and brought him down with me. Skulduggery picked up the gun and came back over as I pinned him down as best I could.

"You never did follow orders, Valkyrie." Skulduggery muttered, pulling out cuffs.  
"They were orders?" I said inocently.  
He sighed and Sam snarled at both of us. "More will come."  
"How many are more?" I asked sweetly as Skulduggery cuffed his hands in front.  
He hesitated, "Three."

Skulduggery stood up and brushed off dust from his pants.  
"But I won't need three."  
"I doubt that-" I was cut off as Sam kicked up, then jumped up and pulled me up, putting the chain in between the cuffs around my throat and yanking me back. I gagged.

"So Pleasant." Sam began as I brought my hands up to try and pull the chain away as far as I could. "How do you wish to watch your partner die and turn into a monster?"  
Skuduggery pondered this for a moment, "Is there a choice of, I don't want to, or?"  
"Fraid not sorry."  
"Hmm."

He pulled tighter and now I couldn't breath. I staggered, dark filling the sides of my vision.  
_I quite like this guy now. _Darquesse said in my mind.

Wait. My ring.

I breathed in as much air as I could through my nose as I could and glanced down, seeing a ring shape in his pocket.  
Skulduggery, seeing where I was looking. Got the plan and stated to try and distract Sam as I carefully dropped my left arm and went from the pocket.

Sam seeme too distracted to notice. I gently ficked my hand, the air pulling up the ring into my palm. I slipped it ont my finger and instantly felt cold, raw power spread through me.

Gathering sharp shadows in my hand and brought it to the chain anripped it out, braking it, spinning and lashing out a sharp shadow at his throat.

He seemed stunned, blood ran down from the deep slit in his throat, he dropped to his knee's and fell.

A light filled in the wound and Skulduggery grabbed my arm. "We have to go so it doesn't explode."

If dead, that race would explode after 10 seconds of scanning the area for life signs. If found none, the life force inside the body would simply vanish and disipate.

Skulduggery half dragged me, half pulled me out.

We ran along the road and down. We waited by a post, watching his house from the bottom of the hill. After a few seconds there was a bright flash and then nothing. The life force had disipated instead of exploded.

"Well that was fun." I said after a few moments.

He looked at me, "You're strange."

"I know."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Sorry for not updating all my stories lately. Its been personal issues and just messy with all the stories I have in progress. Forgive me XD**_

* * *

I was hiding under the table, my Necromancer ring somewhere under a couch probably.  
Rain was crashing in from the smashed window at the front of the house. Skulduggery was somewhere here too.

It had been Yanner. The sneaky devil sent a henchman in.  
I guess I really miss judged him in our first meeting.

I should be fighting you say?  
Well, I bloody can't when I can't use magic and its hard to see and breath. The henchman had thrown in a small hand grenade through the window. Dust clouded the air, stung my eyes, made it hard to breath. I think I had something broken.

But yeah, I'm under the table for good reason trust me. Who knows what else he's got up his sleeve when I'm defenceless.

Ringing blared in my ears as I crawled out from under a fine dust, underneath the table. I skirted around into the kitchen, locking the door behind me. Relaxing, I sighed a breath of relief and opened the window slightly. The air was fresher here.  
Now that I was safe in the kitchen, sort of. And the back door in front of me with moonlight coming in from the window I could see the damage on me.

My eyes widened slightly, my hands were covered in my own blood. A shard of glass was in my shoulder and one in my ribs. I picked out the shoulder one since it was small and practically useless.  
I dragged myself along to the floor, poking a hand up to grab a small mirror off the kitchen counter, I looked at my face. A bit of hair was singed off, my face was dirty and bruised. As you would expect. But I had some blood running down the side of my face. Probably from when Skulduggery tried to throw me out of the blast but I hit my head on the side of a chair.

My ankle was bloody sore and seized up, numb and aching. The ringing in my ears hadn't really faded. I was burning in my chest and more numb in my limbs. My eyes still stung and were watery, my nose was running a bit.

Apart from all that, I was alright.

I coughed slightly and my throat felt a bit clearer. Once I got my heart beat under control I looked around. The kitchen was un touched, bright moonlight washing over each surface.

I crawled over some dust and struggled on my right foot, hopping slightly. I pressed my back against the door and peered out into the living room.

It was silent, my ringing faded into the background.

And then, the ever so slight tell tale sound of voices upstairs.

I couldn't make it out.

But one was un familiar to me.

Standing up make me dizzy and woozy, my knee's buckled. And I stopped myself to making a thud, pressing my hands against the ground. I breathed out and put my back against the door, listening.

My eyelids fluttered and I saw a scene before my eyes.

_Shards of glass littered the landscape, casting rainbow patterns along the smoky ground. I heard a voice calling my name. I turned and saw Skulduggery, he seemed urgent and concerned._

_He kept saying my name and some other things that were slurred to me._

_A heavy breeze went over me and I tumbled-_

I snapped out of the trance and glanced up, sweat was breaking out of my forehead. Sharp pains crackled through my body from the deep shard of glass in my ribs.

I heard louder voices.

"Valkyrie." Cooed the unfamiliar voice.  
"Oh Valkyrie, where are you dear?"

I held my breath.

"Darling, you don't have to hide."  
And then an angry roar filled the room and there was a crash.

Okay. Had to get up. Had to get out.

I struggled to my feet. Gasping as the pain hit and tumbled over itself.

My mind did somersaults and I gripped something till it was over.

The key, where was the key?

Thoughts and words rolled off my tongue in a dry, laziness. I snatched around the dusty counter until I gripped metal coldness. They jangled. More crashes and angry yells.

I had to keep my eyes closed otherwise I'd collapse.

I felt around for the lock, stuffed in the key and turned. It wouldn't work. I tried the other key. A small click sounded and I heaved the door open just as a flame flew across the room.

No. My eyes were open. Okay. Don't look down.

Don't look-

I looked down. he ground was spinning before my feet, I staggered and heard a warning shout. I glanced up just as a knife whizzed past, struck my coat and pinned me to the door.

Bloody hell. It was hard to think.

I'm pretty sure he threw in a stun grenade instead. I muttered curses to myself that weren't even audible.

The blade had jut scratched my shoulder. I gripped the handle. My eyelids fluttering.

Come on. Just a bit more strength. I willed for it.

"Looks like your partner isn't holding up." Sneered the un kindly voice.  
"Well. You threw in a grenade. I'd say you cheated and she's doing just fine." Skulduggery growled

I'm doing just fine, I thought.

I yanked and the knife clanked the to floor. I stumbled forward and grabbed a chair to brace myself.

I could hardly see.

Skulduggery and other guy were fighting.

Skulduggery pushed at the air and he went flying into the wall but turned to vapour just as he hit, before swarming out in two pieces of vapour and joining together to hit Skulduggery in the chest.

Other guy reformed, he wore a long black coat over a black suit.

"Where does Yanner find all you people?" Skulduggery grumbled, whipping out a gun at the last second and shooting him.

I think the sight of his own blood scared him and he fled.

"Ah guns. They always work." Skulduggery sighed.

Then he looked at me. I looked at the window, down at my ribs, at all that blood and then the floor which was spinning even more dangerously.

I stumbled violently, tipped and fell. Smacking my head on the ground.

* * *

**_Dun dunn._**


	15. Chapter 15

I had a glaring pain, worse than before, as I awoke.

I found myself still on the ground. My eyes cracked open, dried and new blood still caked my body. Dust lay on the timber and I was weak, I ached and hurt like hell.

My palm splayed out, facing the round and I poured my last reserves into propping myself up with air.  
But it was only enough to at least get me in a dragging position.

I looked around drearily. Blood was webbed out across the side of my head. I saw Skulduggery's body on the ground a few meters away. I started to half drag, half crawl myself over.

When I reached him, I pushed myself to my knee's. Stifling back a cry against my ribs.

I placed a hand on his arm, un sure what to do. "Skulduggery?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. It cracked and stuttered.  
A tear crawled down my blood stricken face and then impossibly, footsteps behind me.  
"You think. I am that stupid. That _foolish _Miss Cain. A bullet does not scare me so much as a stick." Came that voice once again.  
Hands gripped my shoulders and hot breath pressed on my neck. "You, my darling dear. Are coming with me."

He started to haul me up, pulling me backwards when suddenly, Skulduggery kicked out at his shin. He howled and went down, I fell, manoeuvring my body to land on my shoulder instead of my head.

Crying out, I quickly rolled out of the way as bad man hit the ground.

It was hard to move.

Shapes were getting blurry.

No, no. I had to get up. I had to help him.

Summoning up courage, I brought myself to my knee's. Drawing in a breath as Skulduggery and bad man fought, I pushed myself to my feet.

I can do this.

Yes I can.

Bloody hell, did I just sing Bob the Builder?

Focus Val, focus.

I blinked and saw through the dust mottled air, two figures fighting.

My ring, where's my ring.

Bad man hit an ornament. Two swords. Which crashed and fell next to my feet. He stumbled away. But saw the swords and grinned.

Skulduggery came at him but bad man sent a wave of...a wave of.

What the hell was it?

Some sort of vapoury substance that had wing appearing out from it.

Skulduggery slammed into the wall.

Bad man picked up a sword and unsheathed it, coming at me.  
I ducked until a swipe and grabbed the other. Bringing it up to block just as his blade cut down.

"You're weak. 'll beat you easy." He snarled.  
I pulled myself up and focused on blocking for now while I thought up a plan. The blades clashed and clashed again.

Skulduggery started to get back up, I glanced over and he shouted a warning,

I turned back an saw him coming in for a kill shot. I brought my hand in quick as a flash, bringing the blade down to intercept the curved sword tip, it stuck in and I twisted my body around, my sword behind my back. I flicked up and his blade was sent sparling over me. I hit the wall by Skulduggery's head. I twisted and brought my blade out in a wide arc. He was too stunned t react, instead he stumbled back. The curved tip sliced around the bottom side of his neck. It could have killed him, if h hadn't moved.

He held a hand over his wound and snarled.

"I am Deficient Bad, Miss Cain. I do not suffer to fools gladly."  
"Neither do I." I retorted, managing a snarl.

Bad walked forward steadily.  
"I will be back. I hope you know."

His arms flung out and a spiral of black crows flew around him like a mini tornado before he turned into some misty, broad demon thing with large wings. He looked around for a moment before turning and walking away. After two steps he vanished into thin air.

"That's cheating." Was all I said before dropping to my knee's.

* * *

Devious Snarl walked out of her office as the muted, distant screech of carrions sounded Bad's arrival.  
Her dark red hair framed her pale face. Seizing amber eyes burned in their irises as crows started to appear in a fine mist, floating in a circle before more and more appeared. Out of the tornado a dark, winged shape appeared. Taking a step before the misty, winged figure disappeared off him as if in a gust of wind. Silence met her covered ears as he was fully formed in front of her.

"You are empty handed." She noted, revealing sharp teeth.  
"I'm sorry. I-"  
"You are wounded, in your neck." She observed.  
"I am."

"What am I supposed to tell Yanner?"  
"That I failed, and if someone can replace even me then go ahead. But I will go back and get her myself when I am healed."  
Snarl glared. "Yanner doesn't acceptapologes or misfits. Get Fredrick for me."  
"You're demoting me?"  
"I'm demoting your being."  
His face turned into that of the winged monster, the jaw wide open with snarling teeth. "_You're demoting me? How dare you! y host and I do not approve."_

Her hair became ringed with fire, eyes blazing literally.  
"_You my dear, are one of the many who have challenging hosts. We are nothing more than elements of the Damage. We have rules. And with rules, comes a leader. Our leader is Yanner whether you like it or not."_

Bad looked away for a moment, his dark purple eyes flickering. "_Why Yanner?"  
"Because he, as you should know, is the best of us."_

Snarl started to walk away.

"_How? We ask. How is he the best of us?"_

She turned slightly, the fire in her eyes dying to a low blue ember.  
"_Because he seeks justice, not order."_

* * *

**_Okay. Let me explain this race I have come up with._**

**_So these races called "Damage" or "The Damage" are merely different types of elements or ways of destruction. That come in forms of winged creates with their element._**

**_The elements consist of: Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Death, Life and Storm._**

**_Snarl is obviously fire and Bad is death._**

**_These elements can't harbour life on their own unless that's their element. So they take willing Hosts to occupy and live in.  
The host and the Damage communicate with each other and form a special bond. Their emotions mix. The Damage may take appearance at its wish and the Hosts wish. But since their emotions are linked together, there's never really an argue._**

**_Its an ancient and long drawn out race which is rare to find now._**

**_But then again, in this story. Yanner is darker and more knowing than he seems. He knows how to dig out the rare and enforced hidden creatures and mages and races to use to his bidding._**

**_Fredrick by the way is a Storm, a younger form. More like a boy. Like snakes, the younger the child is the more powerful. Since their energy stack is more higher. Like with a snake, their venom sack is full._**

**_And to be demoted by a younger being is a dishonour. Not exactly because they are younger, but because you know you're no longer powerful enough to deal with things yourself._**


	16. Chapter 16

The light bulb that hung from the webby, white ceiling annoyed him. It wasn't bright enough, and it dangled, transferring brighter light to other places as it moved. Casting shadows over his electric blue eyes before lighting them up after a few moments.

His spiky black hair was pushed to the back left, pale sin like all hosts and a cocky look about him.

"So Fredrick. Reckon you can live up to Yanner's standards?" A female voice. Snarl.  
"Probably." He replied, his voice sounding almost auto tuned, electrified.  
"Well...It has to be better than probably or Yanner will shut up down."

The 19 year old shrugged, "I should be fine."  
Snarl frowned, "Well. That better be good enough. Bad couldn't do it. And we know he's pretty good."  
"Meh.'  
She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Just get to it, Artemis."  
"Yes ma'am."

Artemis got up and walked out through the hallways. He passed a young girl, maybe about 8 blazing with fire and an older women, her eyes almost hurling up sparks as she looked at him, was trying to teach the girl.  
He kept walking, feeling a cold gust of wind blow his hair.

Turning, Artemis saw Holler, his friend. More his best bud.  
"Oi, Artemis. Where you off to?" Holler asked, strolling up. His sandy white hair hanging off his head like a mop, pale green eyes glinting.  
"Eh. Got to get some girl."  
"Cain?"  
"Yeah, think so."  
"I heard about her true name or something like that."

"Thanks for the info." Artemis frowned before turning again.  
A gust off wind was sent his way again, he growled and turned. "Stop that."  
"Uh. Sorry." Holler backed down and walked off as electricity grew in his eyes.

Shaking it off, Artemis kept walking. Exiting the underground warehouse. He looked around before holding his arms out, hands open and fingers slightly curled.  
His head raised slightly, small sparks started to sizzle and crack in his hands, turning larger and more extravagant. Before bolts of lightening where raining down upon him from a very low, black roll of clouds.

A dark storm started to swirl around his body, before long massive bolts of electricity were zapping out, creating small firs and holes in the ground. But as soon as he vanished with a thin _spshh _the holes re grew and the fire's dimmed into nothing. Silence filled the gap where he had just been.

Holler watched from the doorway and narrowed his eyes.

* * *

"Skulduggery, I'm fine. Really." I laughed as he kept poking me and checking me over in the Sanctuary bed.  
"No you're not."  
"Oh for gods sake." I muttered as he poked my cheek again.

"Okay. Now you're alright." He finished his check over.  
"Thank you Dr Pleasant."  
"Not a problem at all."

I rolled my eyes and leaned in to him as a hand went to my cheek. My lips met teeth as he embraced me for a moment.  
I didn't heard the footsteps behind me.  
"Oh, get a room." A scratchy high voice said.  
Sighing I broke apart and looked at him. "Just cause you can't get a girl."  
"Hush." He came over and checked me over before leaving again.

Skulduggery helped me off the bed and soon, once I had got changed, we went off to head back to my house, well mansion.

We arrived at his house and just as I got out of the car, I was swept off my feat by a skeleton in a suit.  
"Skulduggery." I said as he held me bridal style, towards the door, "Put me down."  
"Never." He kicked open the door and walked in, towards the stairs.

"Skulduggery."  
"What?"  
"I'm not crippled, I can walk."  
"Too bad."

We went up the stairs to my room and he literally held out his arms and dropped me on the bed.

"Oh very romantic." I muttered, rolling onto my knees and blowing hair out of my face.  
"I know, I've been practising."  
"Practising?"  
He seemed to get flushed, "I mean-"  
"Oh hush. You've been practising. Now this _is _something to talk about with Erskine and Ghastly."  
"No, you will not tell them."  
"And why not?" I smiled cheekily, pulling out my phone, getting up my texts.

"Because," He suddenly wrestled me to the bed, "I'm far too romantic to let you."  
"Okay one, that made no sense an two. I can text with one hand."  
He glanced and my moving thumb, pressing buttons in a message.  
Slapping it down his façade shot up and he kissed me deeply, pressing me down on the bed so I couldn't move my hand on the phone.

I grinned against the kiss and instead moved my arm around his neck tightly, pulling him in further. The other went to his shirt buttons, the jacket somehow already off. Maybe this is what he was practising. Throw me on the bed and take off jacket without realizing.

(Skulduggery had a full body façade btw, XD)

One hand is holding the side of face tenderly while the other is roaming down the side of my body.  
His shirt comes off, revealing abs.  
Jeez. Skulduggery was hot as a man.

Soon my own shirt was off. Leaving me in jeans and a bra.

The kissing turned deeper, more hot and passionate. Tongue and teeth. Raw and vicious.  
Hands trailed down my sides, to my stomach until reaching my jean buttons. Slowly they were undone and pulled off.  
Skulduggery's façade lips trailed to my jaw line and down my neck as his left hand slid softly, slowly and tenderly down my thigh and my leg.

Goosebumps rippled my flesh and I felt a satisfied smile against my neck. I grabbed the back of his head and smashed my lips back down on his.  
His hands gripped my waist tightly, he straddled himself on top.

We didn't hear the door opening with the spare key.

Nor did we hear the calls for Stephanie.

We didn't hear the footsteps.

And we certainly didn't hear the shocked gasp at the doorway till my eyes opened slightly.

Eyes widening, I threw Skulduggery off me, but since he was surprised he gripped me ad I fell down with him.

"Stephanie! What are you doing!" Mum voice rang out.

I looked at Skulduggery, who looked rather sheepish. I hit him. "Say something." I whispered, we were hidden from behind the bed.  
"Why me?"  
"Because you're the man, and you have more clothes on. Plus, you look less conspicuous."  
"How?"  
"You're not in your underwear wit ruffled hair an flushed cheeks are you?"  
"Good point."

He grabbed his shirt and threw it on as he stood up. Mrs Edgley and Mr Edgley both stood at the door way.

"Um."

"Who are you?" Desmond asked, looking shocked and hostile.  
I quickly found another top of mine and put it on. I saw some shorts by the cupboard, getting on my hands and knee's, I crawled and put them on before standing up next to him.

"This, is uh." I tried to think of a name.  
"Sam." He said.  
"Sam?" Mum asked. Her face was still pale.

"Yes. Sam. Sam uh. Sam Bennett."  
Dad waddled a bit before quickly leaving, we heard a slight thud. He must have fainted.

"So, you're. You're...You're her...her."  
"Boyfriend." We both said.  
"Right...And you decided to take it to the next level?"  
"Well...It wasn't exactly an informed decision it was more just..."  
"Happened." Skulduggery finished.

"You've been dating how long? How come you never told me Steph...?" Melissa seemed agitated.  
"Well. A few-" Valkyrie started.  
"A year and a bit now."  
I glanced at him in the corner of my eye. "Yep."

Mum put a hand to her forehead. "Right well. Sorry...I think."  
"Um. Yeah well..." My hand went to the back of my neck.

Mum slowly turned and eventually left, the door closed and locked again.

I jumped over the bed and locked my room door before turning to him. "That was unexpected."  
"Yes, yes it was."  
"_Sam? _Really?"  
"What's wrong with Sam?"  
"Well its just...Eh. Never mind."

Skulduggery shrugged before glancing at the clock.  
"Its late."  
"Yes it is."  
"You want to sleep?"  
"I suppose."

As he went around, picking up the strewn clothes, I stripped off to my underwear again and slipped under the covers.  
Soon, he joined me. Warm, bare arms wrapping around me in an embrace.

"You're very moody." He said randomly.  
"Wow. Good job at the sexy remarks."  
"Sexy remarks?"  
"You know, the sexy comments the guy usually says to the girl to make her feel good about herself."  
"Really Valkyrie," He drummed his fingers over my shoulders, "Do you really expect me to say to you, Your curves look hot in the moonlight."  
"Okay. Good point."

Silence met her ears for a while and then,

"You know what I meant by curves right?"  
"Unfortunately."  
"Just so we're clear."

"Oh we're clear Pleasant. We're very clear." I muttered.


	17. Chapter 17

And I woke up suddenly.

I had been dreaming, not sure what of exactly though. A pitching blackness that swept me forward until I shot up in bed.

Skulduggery wasn't here, he had gone off to the Sanctuary to do some research, letting me sleep in.

Slowly, I stood up and stretched. Running my hands through my messy, black hair before plonking over to my wardrobe.  
I touched the handle and got a large zap from it, I yelled out and jumped back.

"The hell..." I muttered to myself, turning around at the smell of ozone.  
A boy stood there, around my age. Black hair and electric blue eyes.

"Hello." Was all he said.

"Uh, hi." I looked around for a moment, "Who are you?"  
He shrugged, "Someone."

And with that he flung his arm out, a bolt of lightening was shot at me. I dived out of the way and rolled, coming up behind him. Smashing a knee in his back and using the air to push him down by the shoulders.

But when I touched him, I was zapped again and stepped back.

My vision was slightly hazy.

Snarling I grew shadows in my right hand and the boy suddenly hesitated.

I heard a muted whisper, almost behind him and the boy cocked his head ever so slightly, closing his eyes.

Then, out of no where boiling, sizzling, electric wings smashed out of his back, stretching out, his muscles tensed and his body was changed into that of a werewolf stater, but instead of fur in was lightening, electric, and bolts of energy passing through each other, making a thick mass of shape.  
His head was also the shape of a were wolf, but again, with blue electrical bolts, claws that stretched nearly a metre long sizzled and zapped from his hands.

"Bloody hell." I whispered to myself, backing up against the wall.

The window smashed behind me and a figure dived in, rolling and coming up. It wasn't Skulduggery.

But the boy, well. The thing. Screeched.

It seemed ancient, loud. Like a dragon you see on movies, but also like a T-Rex you hear on movies as well. Muted but blaring.

And then the big...thing. Dissipated into a ball of energy, but only for a moment. It exploded outwards harmlessly. Energy rippling though the circuits causing the lights to flicker and smash.

Silence passed between me and the figure.

"Um. Thanks-" I started, but was interrupted by the masked figure to press a blade at my throat.  
"I didn't do this to save you, I did this to steal you. There's a lot of people wanting you Miss Cain. You're quite the catch."

The shadows, which were still in my right hand, sharpened and I sent them out.

The figure howled and flung himself back, two, short scythes in his hands. I got a better look at him as I stood back up, I nearly snorted. He looked like some ninja more than anything. Crossed with the guy in that game Dark Souls and the Lich King from World of Warcraft.

(All rights go to the people who made those :P )

The figure jumped up, twirling his scythes.

It was either me jumping out the window and risking mortals seeing or me trying to get past him to my phone.

Too late, he came at me with so much speed that I couldn't match. A scythe sliced across my arm, he other smacking into my ribs.  
Crying out, I stumbled. Holding up a barrier of air to defend against another blow.

I rolled out of his reach and jumped up, ducking just as a blade nearly caught my shoulder. I kicked up wards, catching him under the chin, pressing my hands on the ground before adding a jump to the kick to land on my feat again.

As soon as I was up a scythe came twirling at my chest, a tendril of my shadows flung it away. He was getting too fast.

Just as I flung that on away, he pressed forwards, cutting along my stomach and flicking his wrist so the blade on the floor flew into his hands.

I doubled over in white hot pain. And then I didn't know which came in first.

Something stabbing in my leg, my stomach. Slices across my chest and shoulders.

Red dotted my vision when the attack ceased. I was on the ground, blood covering me and the floor.

M eyelids fluttered and I saw him turn around to look out the window and place a call.

I forced my arm to move, I raised it and grabbed the cell phone from the desk.

Gripping it, I pressed the speed dial on my phone for Skulduggery.

This situation seemed a lot like with Melancholia.

Instantly he answered, "Valkyrie? Are you alright?"

Words jittered around on my tongue but it was hard to place them.

It took a few moments to be able to conjure up the strength to say one word.

"Help."

I heard more fuzzy sounds after that as I went limp, my head lolling to the side.

I think it was Skulduggery saying something.

I'm not sure.

But eventually I think the guy got off the phone and realized what I had done, since he bellowed and smashed my phone.

Light shut off in my eyes just as the screech of tires could be heard outside.

* * *

-With Skulduggery-

On the way to the Sanctuary, "Wings" by Macklemore played on the radio. It made him smile, this was Valkyrie's favourite song.

It was their song.

Bloody hell, get your act together man. You nearly swerved into a truck. He scolded himself.

After a few minutes, he arrived at the Sanctuary and got out, getting ready to get a lecture from Ghastly and to read report after report.

As soon as he stepped in and started walking, Ghastly appeared and followed him.

He led Ghastly to the file room, and sat down. Picking out ones of Damage.

"Yes Ghastly?" He sighed.

"What happened last night?" He quizzed, sitting down as well.

"Nothing." Skulduggery responded.

"You used the full body façade didn't you?" He leaned in.

"Maybe."

He gasped like a teenager finding out some gossip.

"You had sex!"

"Partly. Not exactly. We didn't get far enough." Skulduggery seemed amused at his friends reaction.

"What? Did you have a fight?"

"No."

"Did you break up?"

"No."

"Did Valkyrie get hurt."

Skulduggery looked at him.

"...No."

"Oh. What happened then?"

"Her parents walked in."

It was silent for a moment before Ghastly burst out with laughter.

"Yeah, ha ha." Skulduggery said, sighing as he tried to read.

His phone rang suddenly, and he dropped his file to get it out of his pocket.

Ghastly ceased laughter, "Who is it?"

He looked at the caller ID, "Valkyrie."

He answered immediately. "Valkyrie, are you alright?"

She wouldn't speed dial unless something was wrong.

What was wrong?

I got tense, waiting for a reply.

There was a faint voice in the background and then, a painful, croak, quiet and hardly audible but he heard it.

He would always hear it.

"Help."

Without thinking he had raced out of the Sanctuary, leaving Ghastly stunned.

He got into his Bentley and tore back to Gordon's mansion.

He screeched to a stop and got out, hearing an angry shout.

He ran, jumping up onto the cracked and broken window sill, shards of glass cutting out wards.

He jumped in.

And froze.

"No." Was all he said.

* * *

**_Sorry. XD_**

**_I'll update soon._**

**_Maybe even today if I get enough screaming reviews._**

**_Enjoy the suspense little ones. _**


	18. Chapter 18

**_I'm planning to make this quite a dark chapter._**

**_Idk if I can make people cry or not, I'm not sure. LOL._**

**_Have a tissue nearby? _**

* * *

_Fields white and plain, tall and even. Sun dimpled through the branches of the frosty wheat, dew glistening._

_I walked slowly, a transparent skeleton in a suit walking beside me. We walked through the winding paths slowly. Talking._

_Just talking._

_"When we get to the end, what's going to happen?" I asked, brushing black hair out of my face._

_The smell of frost and lavender hushed the winds._

_"When we get to the end?" Skulduggery paused. "Who says there needs to be an end?"_

_"I can't stay, and you know that."_

_"That doesn't mean you have to leave."_

_It was silent or a few moments, birds chattering high in the tree's above us._

_"I never knew you could be intelligently deep." I smiled and we took a left corner._

_"And I never knew you could be so calm in the face of death."_

_I looked at him as we walked, "What else is there to be? There's no point for fear if we can't run from it and there's no point in hope if there's nothing left of it."_

_Skulduggery glanced at me, "Once again, I never knew you could also be deep."_

_"You didn't add intelligent in that."_

_"Why would I?"_

_I laughed and my hand passed through his holographic form._

_I looked up at him as he realised I couldn't touch him, he wasn't a firm hold in this state, in this field._

_And he looked back at me for a moment, before we continued forward._

_"Who will you miss most?" He asked, looking around at the scenery. Trying to take everything into memory before I left._

_"If I answered that," I began slowly, looking straight forward, "I don't think it'd be fair on everyone else to risked their necks for me when I didn't want them to. I mean for gods sake, one of them turned into a statue for what. Two years?"_

_"You were 12 and new to it all. If no one had, we wouldn't be talking about this right now."_

_I shrugged, and we passed around another bend._

_"It makes you wonder though doesn't it."_

_"What does?" He put his hand through the wheat, seeing how more transparent he was starting to get._

_But it wasn't him that was fading away, it was Valkyrie. He was simply fading from her grasp._

_"How, after everything. After all the evil, all the people like Serpine and Baron. Mevolent, all of them. We still can't just get over it."_

_There was a pause, "And what would we get over?"_

_"Well, war for one. Its just like with the real world. Without magic. After everything that happens, we're still all humans. So why can't we stop? What's so hard about stop fighting?" I felt a tear in the corner of my eye, I blinked it away and looked at the ground for a moment._

_"If we didn't fight." Skulduggery began, "If we didn't have wars and arguments. If there were no debates I'd be concerned if we are even human. We're mammals. Look at cats or wolves for example. They could be just like us. Fighting for honour and their territory. Arguing for their point in the world. Debating their opinions and defending what' theirs."_

_He continued._

_"While wars are bad, Valkyrie. Its not as easy as just stopping to fighting and he killing. We may not want it. We may not like it. But its something that happens. Everyone's personality is different. A simple argument at school between two people or two groups. Two groups are countries. They each have their on personality. So their see on the situation is always going to be different. They hate the people with opposite opinions so they stick to people who have similar. It gives them a sense of warmth to know they're not alone. It supports their fire. And that's where leaders come in. But if you don't have a correct one, then more small wars break out. Humanity isn't a simple thing. War is defiantly not. The soldiers that die for us in the real world and the sorcerers that die for our world. It's for our rights and our safety. So we can live with how it defines us. Because all in all, we do care for each other. There is peace in there somewhere. But everyone's self is going to be different. And when have you never wanted to fight for who you are and what you believe in?"_

_It was silent for a while. I was trying to comprehend everything._

_"Wow." Was all I could muster._

_"Wow indeed." He nodded to himself._

_"I wonder what would happen if everyone knew that." I whispered._

_"I think, they already do. Just in a different light. They know what they're fighting for and why. Its not always the information you read that helps, sometimes you need to see it. Or experience it."_

_I nodded. I almost felt a warmth in my chest. A feeling of knowing. It seemed lighter almost. Because really, war is the thing that nags at every mind in the world. We may not always realise it. But war is something neither of us really know what is. And right now, I felt like I finally understood, and a lot of weight was suddenly lifted from my chest._

_Sunlight blared trough the fronds stronger than before._

_"Skulduggery." I said, our footsteps silent against the dirt path._

_"Mm?"_

_"What will you do? When I'm not there anymore?" Another tear in the corner of my eye._

_He looked at me, once again his hand passing through my own. But I still felt the way he was trying to comfort me._

_"Things will be different, of course. But I'll remember this conversation. I'll remember how you wanted things. I guess in a way, that'll give me a sense of relief. I might not keep working as a detective. Maybe I need retirement."_

_He shrugged, "What ever takes me. I'll promise you. I won't give up because you're not there."_

_I smiled again. Another tear._

_In the background, the birds starting to sing. More whistle, the chorus of Wings by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis._

_My smile grew wider._

_"I would bet everyone's life in the world, that if your parents knew what you've been doing all these years. They'd be quite proud of you, Valkyrie Cain." Skulduggery said, looking forward once again as we walked a corner. I could see the end of the path in sight._

_I swallowed, "And I bet. If your family were still here. They'd also be as proud."_

_He was silent for a moment, he looked at me again._

_I knew he wasn't sad or angry. I knew he was quite content with that. Quite happy and warm._

_We reached the end of the path. A wire gate rose up. With a simple, fence door like in tennis courts. It had a black lock on it. I didn't touch it yet._

_I turned to Skulduggery._

_"I like to think that no matter how short my life was, compared to what it could be. It was much better than I could have asked for. I didn't even have to wish. And I'm glad to of had you as a friend, Skulduggery Pleasant. You certainly changed my life in the best way possibly when you saved me that night in Gordon's mansion."_

_"I couldn't save you longer." He said quietly. "I should have stayed with you."_

_"Don't you dare blame yourself for this. If you do, I swear to god I'll come back down for a few moments and destroy your Bentley and burn all your hats."_

_He chuckled softly. "I promise I won't."_

_I glanced at the long, green fields behind the gate. Rolling on for an age._

_"Thank you."_

_I looked back at him._

_"For everything."_

_His head tilted. His image getting more transparent which each passing second._

_"I hope you have a fun time up there."_

_"What, in heaven? Is there a heaven?"_

_"I don't know. Not everyone believes. It confusing really, but makes sense as well. Its a peace of mind. Well, if there is. I hope they try and accept your penchant for raising cain."_

_I grinned._

_"Bye Skulduggery."_

_He looked at me for an age and then, "Good bye, Valkyrie."_

_Smiling, I turned and lightly touched the lock. It cracked open, my hand went to the wire mesh and I pushed it open. It creaked a faint creak. I looked back, just once._

_And wondered if I'd ever see him again._

_And then I stepped through, but everything started to turn black and I screamed as a laugh filled my head._

_The scream pierced the walls of the mind state. Cracking and crumbling and falling. Skulduggery looked around in an urgent matter before vanishing into a dark dust._

_I whirled, round and around again. Hands over my ears and screaming._

Darquesse shot up, her eyes blaring with power and a cold fierceness. Skulduggery staggered, holding his head.

And I screamed at her in my head.

_You ruined EVERYTHING! You ruined my peace! I thought you were gone! Why can't you be gone!?  
I was going to leave, I was happy I was content. You ruined it all!_

She laughed back at me, I heard that whisper strangle through my mind.

_My darling, Valkyrie. I told you I'd come back at the right time. You just failed to uphold my warnings._

And then I was shut off.

I felt myself in a black, empty room.

I screamed and banged on the walls. Crying and sobbing.

_You ruined everything!_

* * *

**_I'm not sure if I should end this book and make a book 2._**

**_Dunno._**

**_Well, post how you thought it was._**

**_By the way, in case you didn't know. Valkyrie was dying, but had Skulduggery in a state of the mind. Talking before she left._**

**_And when she's finally happy, at peace and has given up what she's now left behind. Darquesse awakens and throws her back._**

**_Comment if this got you emotional, if I should stop and make Book 2, or any other things. XD_**


End file.
